Genetic Testing

FemmPro OB/GYN & FemmPro MIDWIFE

FemmPro OB/GYN & FemmPro MIDWIFE located in Garden City, NY & Massapequa, NY

If you’re at risk for hereditary cancers like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or Lynch syndrome, you don’t have to live in the dark, waiting for one of them to appear. Instead, take a proactive step and schedule genetic testing with FemmPro OB/GYN, located in Garden City and Massapequa, New York. Genetic testing for the BRCA gene and for cancers themselves offers you the chance to rest easy knowing you don’t have the mutation or to take action to protect your health. To see if you qualify for genetic testing, schedule an appointment with the practice online via ZocDoc or over the phone today.

Genetic Testing Q & A

What is genetic testing?

At FemmPro OB/GYN, the term “genetic testing” refers to screenings that the practice conducts to check for the presence of certain gene mutations in your blood.

Based on testing, FemmPro OB/GYN can determine your risk for various hereditary cancers, such as hereditary breast cancer, hereditary ovarian cancer, and Lynch syndrome, also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC).

How does genetic testing work?

Genetic testing is very simple. To test you, FemmPro OB/GYN collects a small amount of your blood or an oral rinse sample and tests it.

Genetic testing empowers you to make informed decisions about your present and future health. For example, if you find that you’re positive for a gene mutation, you may:

Get screened for cancers more frequently
Take medications to reduce your risk for developing cancer
Receive preventive surgery, such as a mastectomy

You should consider genetic testing if you’re at risk for inheriting a mutated, cancer-causing gene.

You may be at risk for inheriting one of these genes if you have a personal history of:

Breast cancer diagnosed before the age of 45
Triple-negative breast cancer diagnosed at or before the age of 60
Breast cancer diagnosed before age 50, along with a second primary breast cancer
Two or more types of cancer
Ovarian cancer

Your chances for a gene mutation are higher if you can identify one or more relatives who have or had ovarian cancer, male breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, or breast cancer, especially before age 50.

This is also true if you have two or more relatives who have or have had BRCA-related cancers.

What are BRCA gene mutations?

Everyone has BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Doctors call these the “breast cancer susceptibility genes” because if they mutate, they significantly increase your chances of developing some type of breast or ovarian cancer.

In fact, patients who find that they have either of these mutations have up to an 87% risk for developing breast cancer and up to a 44% risk for developing ovarian cancer by age 70.

Similarly, if you carry a mutation in your MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, EPCAM, or MYH genes, you have a higher risk for developing Lynch syndrome or hereditary uterine cancer. FemmPro OB/GYN can test you for these types of mutations using the COLARIS® genetic test.

The idea of hereditary cancer is scary, but when you opt for genetic testing, you arm yourself with the knowledge you need to proceed through life, making informed choices for your health. To schedule your testing or to find out if you need testing, reach out to FemmPro OB/GYN online via ZocDoc or over the phone today.