Even if you have had cancer or receive screening for it, you may still benefit from speaking to a genetic expert.
- Genetic experts are medical professionals trained to look for signs of hereditary cancer. They can determine your risk for a second cancer or a different type of cancer – maybe one you haven’t had, or that you get medical tests for. A genetic expert can help you better understand your risk for cancers that may run in your family, or reassure you about cancers that you may have thought could be inherited but typically aren’t. They can also fill any gaps in your cancer screening plan to ensure you’re getting everything you need. This may include genetic testing for you to consider.
- Genetic testing could tell you if you have inherited a risk factor for cancer. There are many genetic testing options available for hereditary cancer. A genetic expert can walk you through your best testing options, tell you about the pros and cons of testing and help you decide if you want to proceed.
- Genetic test results can be tricky to understand. Genetic experts can explain your results to you and then help you make an action plan to take full advantage of what you learned with your doctor.
- Genetic experts recognize that people often come to see them because they’re concerned about their family’s health. Genetic experts consider the whole family and can help you understand cancer risks that your family members could have, including:
- Helping you make a plan for talking to your family members about their cancer risks
- Helping to arrange genetic testing for interested family members
- Offering medical recommendations for your family members to reduce their cancer risks
