2022 Paint the Paper Pink

Page 48 2022 PAINT THE PAPER PINK Lincoln Daily News Oct/Nov 2022 cancer may be inherited (see below) or if cancer is diagnosed at an uncommonly young age. Who might benefit from genetic testing? Genetic counseling and testing may be recommended for people who have had certain cancers or certain patterns of cancer in their family. If you have any of the following, you might consider talking to a genetic counselor about genetic testing: • Several first-degree relatives (mother, father, sisters, brothers, children) with cancer • Many relatives on one side of the family who have had the same type of cancer • A cluster of cancers in your family that are known to be linked to a single gene mutation (such as breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers, which are sometimes linked to BRCA gene mutations) • A family member with more than 1 type of cancer • Family members who had cancer at a younger age than normal for that type of cancer • Close relatives with cancers that are linked to rare hereditary cancer syndromes • A rare cancer (in you or a family member), such as breast cancer in a man or retinoblastoma • A particular race or ethnicity (such as Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, which is linked the cancer might have been caused by an inherited mutation (such as a strong family history, if the cancer was diagnosed at a young age, or if the cancer is uncommon, such as breast cancer in a man). Genetic testing might show if the person has a higher risk of developing some other cancers. It can also help other family members decide if they want to be tested for the mutation. Family members of a person known to have an inherited gene mutation that increases their risk of cancer. Testing can help them know if they need screening tests to look for cancer early, or if they should take steps to try to lower their risk. Most people (even people with cancer) do not need this type of genetic testing. It’s usually done when family history suggests that a CONTINUED u