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Genetic Tests Help Women Determine Their Cancer Risks
No medical expert can say with
certainty whether someone will
get cancer in his or her lifetime.
But those at hereditary risk for certain
cancers may want to consider genetic
testing so that they can take preventive
steps and protect their health.
Who Is at Risk?
The vast majority of cancers aren't
passed on through the genes. But up to
10 percent of certain cancers — including
breast, ovarian, colorectal, and
endometrial cancers — are hereditary.
"Most cases of hereditary breast and
ovarian cancer are caused by a mutation
in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes,"
says Angela Musial Fay, M.S., CGC, a
cancer-certified genetic coordinator
at Meridian Health. "Women with an
altered BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene have a
risk as high as 87 percent of developing
breast cancer by age 70, and a risk for
ovarian cancer as high as 44 percent."
Women may carry these altered
genes if they or someone in their
family has had:
- A breast cancer diagnosis at or before age 50
- A male breast cancer diagnosis at any age
- An ovarian cancer diagnosis at any age
- Two or more separate breast or ovarian cancer diagnoses in the same person
- Any relative with a confirmed BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation
What Women at Risk Can Do
What Wom en at Risk Can Do
"Genetic testing and consultation with
a qualified genetic counselor can play
an important role in helping women manage their cancer risk," says Debra
Camal, M.D., FACS, a breast surgeon
affiliated with Riverview Medical
Center.
Meridian Health's Hereditary Cancer
Risk Program gives women the knowledge
they need to make informed decisions
about their health. This program
focuses on family history, genetics, and
other personal and environmental factors
to assess a woman's potential cancer
risk — and help her begin taking
steps to lower that risk. "It's important
to note that men can carry gene mutations
too, so paternal family history as
well as maternal must be considered in
an assessment," says Fay. The program
also offers genetic testing for men and
women at risk for colorectal cancer.
When an individual enters the
program, Fay first assesses the client's
personal and family history and, when
indicated, will draw a blood sample
that is sent to a lab for analysis. When
the results are ready, she thoroughly
reviews them and schedules a consultation
with the client to discuss general recommendations that will be
shared with that patient's physician.
For women who test positive for the
altered gene, their options include
more frequent cancer monitoring,
drugs that can reduce cancer risk,
or preventive surgery.
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