Resharing this oldie for #gyncancerawarenessmonth
Up to 24% of ovarian cancers have been found to be associated with a hereditary cancer syndrome (Walsh et al 2011) making it one of the most hereditary types of cancer. 😲
If you or a relative have #ovariancancer & have not had #genetictesting, you can have this discussion with your doctor or come see a #geneticcounselor
Part of my job is giving my patients the tools to be able to ask for what they need. I can’t tell you how often I hear from patients that their doctor told them one of these things.
So here is what you need to know when asking for genetic testing for ovarian cancer if you or a family member hasn’t been referred:
1️⃣ Anyone with epithelial ovarian cancer (the common type), fallopian tube cancer or peritoneal cancer at any age should be offered genetic testing with a panel of genes. (NCCN)
2️⃣ Anyone with a 1st degree relative (parent, sibling, child) or 2nd degree relative (grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew) who has had epithelial ovarian cancer, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer at any age should be offered genetic testing with a panel of genes. It’s ideal the person with the cancer be tested first, but if they are not available for testing, the closest relatives should be offered this testing.
3️⃣ Testing should include all genes associated with ovarian cancer at minimum (ie: BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, MLH1, MSH2, PMS2, EPCAM, RAD51C, RAD51D and others). This is made easy by most of the major genetic testing laboratories providing pre-made panels for gynecological cancers or multi-cancer risk. (The price is the same no matter how many genes are tested.)
4️⃣ If testing is not covered by insurance, or if the co-pay is high, the patient-pay rate should never be more than $250 for the entire panel. If your doctor can’t find this price, they should contact the laboratory or you can ask for a referral to a genetic counselor to help you order the best test.
👉 If you would like more information on testing, visit the link in my bio to see me or find a genetic counselor near you.
Hope this is helpful. Comment to suggest other advocacy tips you’d like me to post about.
References:
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