You can find out more about your risk of acquiring cancer through genetic testing. You might have inherited genetic mutations that could make you more likely to have some types of cancer. These tests can help you find out if you have them. Before you obtain genetic testing, you should know what the tests can and can’t tell you about your risk of having cancer.
What is genetic testing?
Genetic testing looks for particular changes, or mutations, in a person’s genes using medical tests. There are currently many different kinds of genetic tests available, and each one has a different purpose. The field of genetic testing is expanding.
This is about how genetic testing can reveal changes in genes that might be linked to cancer. It helps to look into the link between genes and cancer progression in order to better understand the overall role of genes and how mutations contribute to cancer.
Genetic Testing to See How Likely You Are to Get Cancer
Predictive Genetic Testing looks for hereditary mutations that could make you more likely to have certain types of cancer. This test is frequently recommended in the following situations:
- Family History of Cancer: Genetic testing may reveal mutations that increase the likelihood of developing specific malignancies in individuals with a substantial familial history of these cancers. People with a lot of family relatives who have had breast cancer are often told to get tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene problems. These mutations are linked to a higher chance of getting breast cancer and other types of cancer.
- People who have already been diagnosed with cancer: Especially if there are signs that it is due to an inherited genetic mutation (for example, a family history of cancer, early onset of cancer, or rare types of cancer), can use genetic testing to find out how likely it is that they will get other cancers. It can also help family members figure out if they want to get genetic testing or not.
- Family members of a person with a genetic mutation: If a family member has a genetic mutation that raises their risk of cancer, other family members can get tested to see whether they would benefit from early cancer screenings or other ways to avoid cancer.
This type of genetic testing can be useful, but you normally only require it if you have a good cause to think that cancer runs in the family. A family history of cancer or early cancer diagnoses are two common signs of this.
Who Would Benefit from Genetic Testing?
You might wish to undergo genetic counseling and testing if you or a family member has had certain types of cancer or patterns of cancer that could be passed on. If you think you might need help with your genetics:
- Multiple First-Degree Relatives with Cancer: More than one close family member (parents, siblings, children) has had cancer.
- Family History of Similar Cancers: Some members in the same family have had the same type of cancer.
- Genetic Mutation: A family member has already been tested and found to have a genetic mutation that makes them more likely to get cancer.
- Young Cancer Diagnosis: A family member was diagnosed with cancer at a young age.
- You or someone in your family gets a rare type of cancer, such as breast cancer in men.
- Risk Based on Ethnicity: People from specific ethnic groups, such as Ashkenazi Jews, are more prone to have mutations like BRCA gene mutations.
If your family’s cancer history sounds like these things, you should talk to a doctor about having genetic testing.
What does counseling about genetics mean?
Genetic counseling teaches people and families how to make smart decisions about genetic testing. Genetic counselors are healthcare professionals that know how to explain the intricate process of genetic testing to patients. A lot of them are certified by a board. Some nurses, doctors, and social workers may also offer genetic counseling, but they may not have the same level of training.
A counselor helps you understand what genetic testing is, what the risks and benefits are, and what the results could mean for your health and family before and after the test. This meeting might help you decide if genetic testing is the right thing for you.
What is the job of a genetic counselor?
Genetic counselors are there to help you with the process of having genetic tests and what occurs after that. They assist you get it:
- Your family’s history might tell you how likely you are to get cancer.
- Genetic testing that you can have and how they might change your mind
- The effects on your mental and emotional health of knowing your genetic status
- Your genetic information’s safety and privacy
A counselor can help you weigh the pros and cons of genetic testing so that you know everything you need to know before you make a choice.
Before You Take the Test…
Before you have genetic testing, you should know what it can and can’t do. Talk to your doctor about your options and obtain genetic counseling so you know exactly what to expect. A counselor will talk to you about what the test could indicate. What the results might mean. and what you should do next based on those results.
Looking for Changes in Genes in Cancer Cells
Genetic tests are sometimes done on cancer cells after a diagnosis. These tests look for alterations in certain proteins or genes in cancer cells. This information can help doctors figure out how a patient’s cancer will behave. What the best treatments available, and what the patient’s chances of survival are.
These tests look at changes in genes that happen in the cancer itself. Not changes that are passed down from parents to children.
Genetic testing at home
You can get some genetic tests, like ones that assess for cancer risk, straight from companies without having to consult a doctor first and You have to give them a sample of your DNA in order to take these tests. You send a sample of your saliva to a lab to be tested.
Also you should know what these tests can’t do, even though they can provide you some information. Home tests can’t give you medical advice or genetic counseling from a professional. They check for certain alterations in genes, but they aren’t very effective at figuring out how likely it is that someone will acquire cancer.
These tests might not provide you a full picture of your DNA, and you might not be able to figure out what the results represent on your own, which could make you worry for no reason.
Conclusion
Genetic testing can tell you if you are at risk for cancer. but you should know what it is before you undergo it.
An oncologist or genetic counselor can help you decide if gene testing is best for you or not, tell you about the good and bad sides of it, and help you better understand what the results mean. Gene testing can help people make good choices about how to stay cancer-free and diagnose it early. You should always talk to a doctor before getting gene testing to be sure it is safe for your health.
To learn more, see What Should I Know Before Getting Genetic Testing?
see Biomarker Tests and Cancer Treatment.