Genetic testing may be an important first step for you If you have had cancer at a young age, rare cancer, or if cancer occurs frequently in your family. If a greater than average risk of cancer is found, there are a number of things you and your healthcare professional can do to manage that risk:
Note that any discussion of medical management options is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation. While genetic testing and medical society guidelines provide important and useful information, all medical management decisions should be made based on consultation between each patient and her healthcare professional.
The goals of genetic testing are to:
If you are interested in genetic testing, please call Newton-Wellesley OB/GYN in Newton at (617) 332-2345 or in Walpole at (508) 668-5555 to schedule an appointment. For your convenience, you may also request an appointment online.
To help you assess whether you may benefit from hereditary cancer testing, you need to discuss your risk of cancer with your healthcare professional and ask for further evaluation.
Genetic tests are performed on a sample of blood, hair, skin, amniotic fluid (if you are pregnant), or other tissue. The sample is then sent to a lab that specializes in genetic testing. The technicians look for specific changes in chromosomes, DNA, or proteins, depending on the suspected disorder. The lab returns the test results to the doctor who requested the test. It may take several weeks or longer to get the test results.
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are required to pay for both genetic counseling and breast and gynecological cancer testing (e.g., Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) testing) for women who meet certain criteria. For these patients, insurance companies must cover the entire cost of genetic counseling and breast and gynecological cancer testing with no out-of-pocket costs to the individual.
