INFORMATION. WERE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM. IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY. MUCH OF OUR DNA COMES FROM OUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AND SO FORTH, AND DNA CAN REGULARLY CONTRIBUTE TO HEREDITARY CANCER RISK, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE. THESE INHERITED VARIANTS ARE THOUGHT TO CONTRIBUTE TO ABOUT 5 TO 10% OF ALL CANCERS AND ITS NOT JUST THE COMMON CANCERS WERE USED TO HEARING ABOUT BEING HEREDITARY THAT ARE BEING TESTED FOR, BUT IT REALLY CAN RANGE THE SPECTRUM OF BEYOND JUST BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER. BUT TO THINGS LIKE COLON CANCER, UTERINE CANCER, PANCREATIC CANCER AND PROSTATE CANCER, JUST TO NAME SOME OF THOSE. BUT THERE IS A WAY TO HELP YOU LEARN ABOUT POSSIBLE RISKS FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF CANCER, AND THAT IS THROUGH GENETIC TESTING. ITS THE USE OF MEDICAL TESTS TO LOOK FOR A CERTAIN MUTATION OR CHANGES IN A PERSONS GENES. WE KNOW STUDIES SHOW EARLY DETECTION CAN SAVE LIVES. THE WHOLE IDEA OF CATCHING CANCER EARLY MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN PROGNOSIS FOR A PATIENT, AS WELL AS OPTIONS FOR TREATMENT. MICHAEL ESCO GOT TESTED TO DETERMINE HIS POSSIBLE RISK. HE SAYS HIS MOTHER, HIS MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER, BOTH HAD BREAST CANCER AND TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE BRCA GENE. BOTH MYSELF AND MY SISTER I KNEW WERE 50 OVER 50 TO GET THAT AND AND IM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. AND I JUST WANTED TO BE ARMED WITH THAT INFORMATION SO I COULD PLAN ACCORDINGLY. MOVING FORWARD. IT MAKES ME CONFIDENT AND HAPPY TO KNOW THAT I HAVE TAKEN A MATURE, RESPONSIBLE APPROACH WITH THIS. ESCO SAYS ONCE HE LEARNED HE CARRIED THE GENE, HE SPOKE TO A GENETIC COUNSELOR WHO GAVE HIM INFORMATION THAT HE NOW USES TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TREATMENTS AND PLANS OF ACTION BEFORE AND AFTER GENETIC TESTING. GENETIC COUNSELORS HELP PATIENTS UNDERSTAND AND WHAT TEST RESULTS MEAN. EXPLAIN RISKS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THOSE RISKS. GENETIC TESTING AND GENETIC COUNSELING IS REALLY AN EXPERIENCE TO HELP EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS WHEN IT COMES TO KNOWING THEIR HEALTH INFORMATION. ESCO, SHARING HIS STORY, SAYING AS NERVE WRACKING AS THESE TESTS MAY BE, IT CAN BE LIFE SAVING AND SAYS IT MAKES YOU SO MUCH LESS LIKELY TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONFRONTED WITH SOME INFORMATION THAT COULD BE OVERWHELMING OR UNDESIRED, BUT I THINK THAT IF SOMEBODY DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE A PROACTIVE AND AND ACTIONABLE APPROACH JUST TO REALLY PRIORITIZE THEIR HEALTH MOVING FORWARD, I THINK THAT KNOWING WHAT YOUR PERSONAL RISK FACTORS ARE HELPS YOU MITIGATE THOSE. GENETIC TESTING MAY BE RECOMMEND FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAVE CERTAIN CANCERS OR CERTAIN PATTERNS OF CANCER IN THEIR FAMILY. THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RECOMMENDS TALKING TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR OR A GENETIC COUNSELOR ABOUT TESTING. IF YOU HAVE SEVERAL FIRST DEGREE RELATIVES WITH CANCER, A CLUSTER OF CANCERS IN YOUR FAMILY, A FAMILY MEMBER WITH MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF CANCER, OR A FAMILY MEMBER WHO DEVELOPED CANCER AT A YOUNG AGE, WHICH IS TYPICALLY NOTED AS LESS THAN 50 YEARS OLD, THEY MAY NEVER BE DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, EVEN IF THEY DO TEST POSITIVE FOR ONE OF THESE GENES, BUT ITS IN EVERYONES BEST INTEREST TO FIND OUT THIS INFORMATION EARLY WHEN THERES MORE OPTIONS TO TO UNDERGO. YASMIN RODRIGUEZ, PITTSBURGHS ACTION NEWS FOUR. AND GENETIC TESTING CAN BE DONE WITH EITHER A BLOOD TEST OR A SALIVA SAMPLE. IF YOURE INTERESTED IN THIS TYPE OF SCREENING, GENETIC COUNSELORS RECOMMEND STARTING A CONVERSATION WITH

Genetic cancer screening: Learning more about lesser known hereditary cancers

The testing is available through a primary care doctor

Updated: 10:58 AM EDT May 20, 2024

We have heard there are ways to mitigate the risks of developing cancer, but now we're learning some cancers are hereditary. Determining your possible risks has become more accessible, and a simple test can tell you a lot you should know.We're all familiar with the term "it runs in the family." Much of our DNA comes from our parents, grandparents and so forth. And DNA can regularly contribute to hereditary cancer risk. According to the National Cancer Institute, these inherited variants are thought to contribute to about 5% to 10% of all cancers.It's not just the common cancers we're used to hearing about being hereditary that are tested for."It really can range the spectrum of beyond just breast and ovarian cancer, but to things like colon cancer, uterine cancer, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer, just to name some of those," genetic counselor Amy Kunz said.But there is a way to help you learn about possible risks for certain types of cancer, and that is through genetic testing. It's the use of medical tests to look for certain mutations, or changes, in a person's genes."We know studies show early detection can save lives. The whole idea of catching cancer early makes such a difference in prognosis for a patient, as well as options for treatment," Kunz said.Michael Isoke got tested to determine his possible risk. He says his mother and maternal grandmother both had breast cancer and tested positive for the BRCA gene."Both myself and my sister I knew were 50/50 to get that, and I'm a firm believer that knowledge is power, and I just wanted to be armed with that information so I could plan accordingly moving forward," Isoke said. "It makes me confident and happy to know that I have taken a mature, responsible approach with this."Isoke says once he learned he carried the gene, he spoke to a genetic counselor who gave him information that he now uses to make decisions about how to move forward with treatments and plans of action. Before and after genetic testing, genetic counselors help patients understand what test results mean, explain risks and what you can do about those risks. "Genetic testing and genetic counseling is really an experience to help empower individuals when it comes to knowing their health information," Kunz said.Isoke is sharing his story. He says that as nerve-wracking as these tests may be, they can be lifesaving and make you much less likely to be caught off guard."There is the potential to be confronted with some information that can be overwhelming or undesired, but I think that if somebody decides that they want to take a proactive and actionable approach, just to really prioritize their health moving forward, I think that knowing what your personal risk factors are helps you mitigate this," Isoke said.Genetic testing may be recommended for people who have certain cancers or certain patterns of cancer in their family. The American Cancer Society recommends talking to your primary care doctor or a genetic counselor about testing if you have several first-degree relatives with cancer, a cluster of cancers in your family, a family member with more than one type of cancer, or a family member who developed cancer at a young age, which is typically noted as less than 50 years old."They may never be diagnosed with cancer, even if they do test positive for one of these genes, but it's in everyone's best interest to find out this information early when there's more options to undergo," Kunz said.Genetic testing can be done with either a blood test or a saliva sample. If you are interested in this type of screening, genetic counselors recommend starting a conversation with your family doctor about your concerns and family history.

We have heard there are ways to mitigate the risks of developing cancer, but now we're learning some cancers are hereditary. Determining your possible risks has become more accessible, and a simple test can tell you a lot you should know.

We're all familiar with the term "it runs in the family." Much of our DNA comes from our parents, grandparents and so forth. And DNA can regularly contribute to hereditary cancer risk. According to the National Cancer Institute, these inherited variants are thought to contribute to about 5% to 10% of all cancers.

It's not just the common cancers we're used to hearing about being hereditary that are tested for.

"It really can range the spectrum of beyond just breast and ovarian cancer, but to things like colon cancer, uterine cancer, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer, just to name some of those," genetic counselor Amy Kunz said.

But there is a way to help you learn about possible risks for certain types of cancer, and that is through genetic testing. It's the use of medical tests to look for certain mutations, or changes, in a person's genes.

"We know studies show early detection can save lives. The whole idea of catching cancer early makes such a difference in prognosis for a patient, as well as options for treatment," Kunz said.

Michael Isoke got tested to determine his possible risk. He says his mother and maternal grandmother both had breast cancer and tested positive for the BRCA gene.

"Both myself and my sister I knew were 50/50 to get that, and I'm a firm believer that knowledge is power, and I just wanted to be armed with that information so I could plan accordingly moving forward," Isoke said. "It makes me confident and happy to know that I have taken a mature, responsible approach with this."

Isoke says once he learned he carried the gene, he spoke to a genetic counselor who gave him information that he now uses to make decisions about how to move forward with treatments and plans of action. Before and after genetic testing, genetic counselors help patients understand what test results mean, explain risks and what you can do about those risks.

"Genetic testing and genetic counseling is really an experience to help empower individuals when it comes to knowing their health information," Kunz said.

Isoke is sharing his story. He says that as nerve-wracking as these tests may be, they can be lifesaving and make you much less likely to be caught off guard.

"There is the potential to be confronted with some information that can be overwhelming or undesired, but I think that if somebody decides that they want to take a proactive and actionable approach, just to really prioritize their health moving forward, I think that knowing what your personal risk factors are helps you mitigate this," Isoke said.

Genetic testing may be recommended for people who have certain cancers or certain patterns of cancer in their family. The American Cancer Society recommends talking to your primary care doctor or a genetic counselor about testing if you have several first-degree relatives with cancer, a cluster of cancers in your family, a family member with more than one type of cancer, or a family member who developed cancer at a young age, which is typically noted as less than 50 years old.

"They may never be diagnosed with cancer, even if they do test positive for one of these genes, but it's in everyone's best interest to find out this information early when there's more options to undergo," Kunz said.

Genetic testing can be done with either a blood test or a saliva sample. If you are interested in this type of screening, genetic counselors recommend starting a conversation with your family doctor about your concerns and family history.

Read more:
Genetic Cancer Screening: Learn more about hereditary cancers - WTAE Pittsburgh

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