You get your eye and hair color from your parents. But you can also inherit cancer. We don't know what causes most cancers. But about 5-10% of all cancers are caused by genetic mutations that are inherited.
We can test you for these gene changes. Genetic testing for cancer genes is done through a blood test. It can give you and your healthcare providers valuable information, far beyond a DNA test you might take on your own.
Better Understand Your Cancer Risk
At UVA Health, you can tap the expertise of a cancer genetic counselor. They can answer your questions about genetic testing and help you understand:
- Who should consider genetic testing
- What cancer genetic testing results can, and can't, tell you about your future health
Learn why you might need cancer genetic counseling. Even if you opt not to have genetic testing, you can still get a comprehensive risk assessment from a genetic counselor. You can learn about your risk of developing cancer and ways to prevent or screen for early signs of cancer.
Understanding Genetic Testing
Martha Thomas, MS, discusses why genetic testing should be considered. View genetic testing transcript.
What is Genetic Counseling?
A genetic counselor determines your risk of getting cancer based on:
- Your personal medical history
- Your family history
- Genetic testing
After collecting and interpreting all of your information and test results, a genetic counselor helps you understand what it all means.
Genetic counselors use this risk assessment to help guide you, your family, and your specialists and providers to a plan of care that is right for you.
Understanding Cancer Genetics
There isn’t just one "cancer gene." One gene may be related to several cancers. The BRCA2 gene, for instance, known for its relationship to breast cancer, can also cause ovarian, prostate, pancreas, and skin cancers.
Sometimes, if you’ve been treated for breast cancer, you might be worried about it returning. You may want to prevent that with a mastectomy, or breast removal. But what if you’re actually more at risk to get cancer in your colon? A genetic counselor can help you figure that out.
Don’t know your family’s medical history? We can still do genetic testing to gather helpful information.
