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Genetic Evaluations can estimate lifetime cancer risks
Consumer Guide 2022
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Genetic Evaluations can estimate lifetime cancer risks
By KRIS SCHULTZ-TANNER
University Cancer & Blood Center
Most of us will have some experience with cancer in our lifetimes.We may personally have a diagnosis, or we may find our friends and family members receiving similar news.
Most cancers are sporadic, meaning that they developed as a result of damage somewhere in our DNA that our body was not able to correct. Our DNA can be damaged by chemicals, radiation or cells that don’t divide correctly. We can control some of those factors like not using tobacco and limiting sun/UV exposure, but other factors like aging are not necessarily something any of us can avoid, unfortunately.
Sometimes, we may see the same kinds of cancers appear in our families, such as multiple female relatives with breast cancers. Does that mean there is something built into the family’sDNA that puts them at higher risk for developing those cancers? The short answer: Maybe.
Contrary to popular belief that cancers “run” in families, only about 5-10% of all the cancers out there actually stem from something that was found in a person’s DNA from birth. Although rare, these changes to the DNA, also known as “mutations,” can be passed to the next generation and can greatly increase a person’s risk for certain cancers.
As University Cancer & Blood Center’s specially trained Nurse Practitioner credentialed in cancer genetics, myself and our team will help clarify if cancers seen in a family are more than just chance. We educate patients about cancer development and discuss the risks and benefits of genetic testing with those who wish to pursue it. Our team can estimate a person’s lifetime risk of certain cancers and help guide him or her through appropriate prevention and screenings.
Who could benefit from risk assessment or genetic evaluation? • Anyone who personally has had a cancer diagnosed at an earlier age, such as breast cancer under age 46 or colon cancer under the age of 50. • Anyone with a rare cancer such as male breast cancer, sarcoma, ovarian or pancreatic cancer.
• Anyone who has had more than one kind of cancer. • Anyone who has the same kinds of cancers on one side of the family. • Anyone who has had close blood relatives with the above scenarios. • Anyone who wants to know more about the risks of certain cancers and how to reduce that risk.
Kris Schultz-Tanner serves patients at UCBC’sAthens locations. She is a certified Family NursePractitioner and Advanced Clinical GenomicsNurse. Learn more about Kris, the UCBC family, and Genetic Evaluations at www.UniversityCancer.com .
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@universitycancer Around the country, healthcare systems are seeing alarming drops in patient visits for cancer screenings and followup appointments. Experts warn that delaying tests like mammograms, colonoscopies, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests, and other intervention screenings could result in more latestage diagnoses with worse prognoses. This is why at UCBC, we believe it is critical to make sure you call and schedule your next wellness appointment as soon as possible and get the tests and treatments you need to stay on top of your health. Because cancer can’t wait, so neither can you.
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