Your genetic test results have implications for you as well as your family. Because genetic testing can identify inherited risk factors, your results may provide cancer risk information for some members of your family, too. For example, if your test shows that you have a BRCA2 mutation, you will have inherited that mutation from either your father or mother. Therefore, your siblings may have inherited it, too.
Because of the inherited nature of these gene mutations, your doctor may recommend testing for other members of your family. Some relatives may discover that they did not inherit the mutation and an increased risk for cancer. In other words, they may discover that they have the same cancer risk as the general population, even if there is a family history of cancer.
Regardless of the outcome of your genetic testing, an important part of genetic risk assessment is deciding whether and how to notify the relatives whose lives may be impacted by your results. It's your decision how to share this news, but your doctor and/or a genetic counselor can help.
Taking the First Steps
There are cancer risk assessment centers nationwide offering specialized services to people with a personal and/or family history of cancer. For help locating a qualified health care professional, search for a doctor online or contact Myriad Genetic Laboratories at
Myriad Genetic Laboratories is committed to clarifying families' hereditary risks of cancer and empowering individuals to make informed health care decisions. Myriad has clinical specialists and resource packets available to support you in sharing your results with family members.
