Background
Have you ever heard about folks taking a genetic check on their very own and studying about genetic mutations which will elevate their danger for most cancers? Any such check, known as a direct-to-consumer genetic check, may be taken with out having a prescription from a health care provider. It could possibly let you know about your ancestry and genetic traits, together with restricted details about your danger for ailments like hereditary most cancers.
What it’s essential to know
For most individuals, a direct-to-consumer genetic check could not discover you probably have a better danger for most cancers.
The direct-to-consumer genetic check accepted by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) seems for 3—out of greater than 1,000—breast most cancers (BRCA) gene mutations that may improve your danger for breast, ovarian, and different cancers.
Direct-to-consumer genetic assessments don’t take note of non-BRCA gene mutations or non-genetic elements that may improve most cancers danger.
If you’re contemplating taking a check
A direct-to-consumer genetic check could not provide you with an entire understanding of your most cancers danger, particularly if most cancers runs in your loved ones. When you assume it’s possible you’ll be at larger danger for hereditary most cancers, it’s best to work with a health care provider or genetic counselor who can assess your danger, interpret your outcomes, and construct an motion plan.
Motion steps
- Study your household’s historical past of most cancers.
- Inform your physician about your loved ones historical past.
- Ask your physician if you’re at excessive danger due to your loved ones historical past.
- Ask your physician about working with a genetic counselor to evaluate your genetic danger and construct an motion plan.
- Observe wholesome behaviors to decrease your danger, like preserving a wholesome weight and being bodily lively.
My Household Well being Portrait: Most cancers
CDC’s My Household Well being Portrait: Most cancers app helps you acquire your loved ones’s historical past of most cancers and may also help you perceive your danger for breast, ovarian, and colorectal most cancers. Android customers can obtain the app from Google Play and iOS customers can obtain the app from the App Retailer.
When you examined detrimental for a BRCA gene mutation
A detrimental end result on a direct-to-consumer genetic check doesn’t rule out the chance that you just carry different genetic mutations that improve your danger, together with different BRCA genetic mutations not discovered by the check you took. You probably have a household historical past of most cancers, don’t depend on a direct-to-consumer genetic check to evaluate your danger. Discuss to your physician about your outcomes and what to do subsequent.
Motion steps
- Study your household’s historical past of most cancers.
- Inform your physician about your loved ones historical past.
- Ask your physician if you’re at excessive danger due to your loved ones historical past.
- Inform your physician about your detrimental check end result.
- Ask your physician about working with a genetic counselor to evaluate your most cancers danger and construct an motion plan.
- Observe wholesome behaviors to decrease your danger, like preserving a wholesome weight and being bodily lively.
When you examined optimistic for a BRCA gene mutation
Discuss to your physician about your check outcomes. If wanted, your physician can refer you for genetic counseling and you’ll create an motion plan to handle your danger.
Motion steps
- Study your household’s historical past of most cancers.
- Inform your physician about your loved ones historical past.
- Inform your physician you examined optimistic for a BRCA gene mutation.
- Ask your physician about working with a genetic counselor to evaluate your most cancers danger and construct an motion plan.
- Observe wholesome behaviors to decrease your danger, like preserving a wholesome weight and being bodily lively.
When you’ve taken a check, however haven’t appeared on the outcomes
If you’re scared or frightened, take your check outcomes to your physician, who is healthier in a position to assess your most cancers danger. Do not forget that a direct-to-consumer genetic check could not provide you with an entire understanding of your most cancers danger, particularly if it runs in your loved ones.
Motion steps
- Study your household’s historical past of most cancers.
- Inform your physician about your loved ones historical past.
- Take your outcomes to your physician, who may also help you learn them and perceive what they imply.
- Ask your physician if it’s essential to work with a genetic counselor to evaluate your most cancers danger and construct an motion plan.
- Observe wholesome behaviors to decrease your danger, like preserving a wholesome weight and being bodily lively.
