Genes are the basic units of inheritance in all living organisms. They provide cells with the necessary information for normal functioning, but they can be altered by the same environmental factors that cause cancer to develop.

Genetic testing helps identify specific genes that have mutated or been altered in a way that causes normal cells to become cancerous. These results are used by healthcare providers to predict responses to various types of treatment and monitor the progress of the disease. Genetic testing can refer to both germline testing (mutations in cells without cancer ) and also somatic testing of a patients tumor (mutations in cells with cancer).

What genetic testing means is understanding in a comprehensive way all the genetic abnormalities that may be present in one patients cancer that may not be present in others.

When examining genetic changes within tumor cells, researchers look for two main things:

These genetic abnormalities are what researchers are beginning to use as biomarkers for predicting patient responses to different forms of treatment.

In some families, bladder cancer occurs at higher rates than in the general population. In these cases, careful examination of the genealogy may reveal specific mutations passed from parent to child that may lead a medical provider to suspect one of the hereditary forms of bladder cancer. Some germline mutations linked to bladder cancer include:

While its possible, inherited gene mutations arent as commonly associated with bladder cancer as they are with other types of cancer, such as breast and ovarian. Sometimes, bladder cancer may occur in families because of toxic chemical or environmental exposures.

There are certain factors that increase an individuals risk for developing bladder cancer even if no family history exists. These include smoking and exposure to specific chemicals over long periods of time.

There are also inherited genetic syndromes that may place an individual at greater risk for developing bladder cancer. These include:

If genetic testing reveals you lack certain genes mutated in bladder cancer, you may be less likely to respond to certain treatments. These include targeted therapies, immunotherapies and chemotherapy drugs.

Genetic testing is not the only factor that determines your response to certain treatments. Even if your bladder cancer has all the genetic mutations that predict response to certain treatments, it still may not respond to them, because genetics is only one factor in determining a treatments effectiveness.

To increase the likelihood of response, bladder cancer treatments need to be combined with interventions designed to help your immune system target and kill cancer cells.

Genetic testing may also inform some decisions you and your medical team make as part of your ongoing care. If you are planning additional treatment after surgery or radiation, genetic testing may help determine the most appropriate treatment to use.

Genetic testing may be beneficial for many people with cancer. However, no guidelines exist to determine who should get genetic testing and the type of testing that should be done.

When I counsel a patient whos now undergoing their first treatment for advanced bladder cancer, Ill often encourage them to undergo genetic testing, mainly because we may find a genetic marker that is present in their cancer that might help me direct them toward a specific clinical trial that involves a drug that is specific for their genetic mutation, explains Dr. Balar.

Dr. Balar also recommends genetic testing for any patient with stage II or greater cancer. I advocate for early testing to have that information available early on so that if its needed, that information is readily available to make treatment decisions.

If youve been diagnosed with bladder cancer, talk to your healthcare team about the benefits and limitations of genetic testing.

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Lindsay Modglin is a freelance writer. Read More

Read more from the original source:
What Can Genetics Tell Us About the Molecular Features of a Bladder Cancer Tumor? - SurvivorNet

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