Your genes can be an important tool for managing cancer
Genetic testing can provide a clearer picture of what to do next
Navigating cancer is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Understanding if you have a genetic mutation can help you and your doctor personalize your treatment. Genetic testing is recommended for:
- The American Society of Breast Surgeons recommends that genetic testing be made available to all patients with breast cancer.1
- As many as 1 in 8 patients with breast cancer has a disease-causing gene variant.2
- As many as 1 in 7 patients with colorectal cancer has a disease-causing gene variant.2
- Hereditary cancer genetic testing in patients with colorectal cancer can help tailor their treatment journey—yet just 3% of patients receive it.3
- >30% of women with disease-causing gene variants had no family history of breast or ovarian cancer, highlighting the importance of hereditary cancer genetic testing for all patients with ovarian cancer.4
- As many as 1 in 5 people with ovarian cancer has a disease-causing gene variant.2
- As many as 1 in 7 patients with pancreatic cancer has a disease-causing gene variant.2, 5-7
- 78% of patients with pancreatic cancer who had disease-causing gene variants were potentially eligible for precision therapies or clinical trials.6
- All patients with metastatic prostate cancer are recommended to have genetic testing.8
- As many as 1 in 13 patients with prostate cancer have disease-causing gene variants.9
The benefits of genetic testing
Knowing your genetic makeup can help your doctor determine the best next steps for you.
Treatment
Results may direct your doctor to therapies that may be more likely to work for you, including specific types of surgeries, chemotherapies, or targeted treatments.
In some cases, they can also qualify you for clinical trials.
Future Health
Results may suggest how likely it is that you’ll develop another cancer in the future, so you can be proactive and consider with your doctor risk-reducing surgery, medicines that can prevent cancer from developing (“chemoprevention”), or increased screenings going forward.
Family members
Discovering that you have a genetic mutation means that your family members may also be at risk.
They can get tested too and, if they also have the genetic change, can get more frequent cancer screenings so they can act early, when treatment is most effective.
