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Genetic Testing For Cancer
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 There are many features
that can be present in a family that would indicate a referral is needed for
genetic services.
Below is a general (partial) checklist of
characteristics that may indicate an increased risk of familial cancer or a
heritable cancer syndrome. The symptoms of genetic diseases may resemble
other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your physician for a
diagnosis and a complete list of characteristics:
___ a family history of
multiple cases of the same or related types of cancer
___ one or more relatives with rare cancers
___ cancers occurring at an
earlier age of onset than usual (for instance, under the age of 50 years) in
at least one member
___ bilateral cancers (two
cancers that develop independently in a paired organ, i.e., both kidneys or
both breasts)
___ one or more family
members with two primary cancers (two original tumors that develop in
different sites)
___ Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish background.
Genetic services can
provide:
¢ information about the significance of your
family history in terms of your risk of developing cancer and the chance
that you have a cancer genetic syndrome
¢ a diagnosis of a cancer genetic syndrome
by physical examination and/or genetic laboratory testing
¢ details about the availability of genetic
testing for cancer risk and the pros and cons of such testing
¢ information about how/why a cancer genetic
syndrome occurred (in most cases)
¢ details about the chance for the cancer
genetic syndrome to reoccur in the family and individual relatives’ chance
of having and passing on a mutation in a cancer susceptibility gene
¢ recommendations for the management and
treatment of the cancer genetic syndrome
¢ support groups for the cancer genetic
syndrome
¢ connections to other families who have a
similar/same disorder.
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