Genetic testing helps patients fight cancer before it strikes

Dr. Carlos Encarnacion is a medical oncologist at Texas Oncology-Waco.

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It’s hard not to see that cancer affects almost everyone in some way. In Texas alone, more than 97,000 people – the fourth-highest incidence in the nation – are diagnosed annually with cancer. A person is never prepared for a cancer diagnosis, but thanks to recent treatment advances, patients have a much better chance of surviving this disease.

Prevention and early detection are also at the forefront of research. After all, why treat an advanced illness with expensive treatments if it can be detected early or avoided altogether?

Detecting the Risks—Over the last several years, we have learned that certain inherited gene mutations put a person at risk for different types of cancer. While you don’t inherit cancer, you can inherit a higher risk for developing it. Every person receives two copies of every gene – one from their mother and one from their father – and therefore can receive a mutated or altered gene from either parent. When a gene mutation or change occurs, genes do not function correctly, and a greater risk of cancer is inherited. More than 30,000 Texans are undiagnosed with BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 gene mutations that put them at greater risk for breast or ovarian cancer.

Genetic testing and cancer risk counseling, available through Texas Oncology’s Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment Program, can reduce the risk of developing cancer and save lives. Through a simple blood test, people with significant personal or family history can be tested for genetic abnormalities that increase their risk of getting certain types of cancer. Texas Oncology–Waco offers a comprehensive program to determine a patient’s risk for different syndromes associated with breast, colon, ovarian, uterine, and other types of cancer.

Empowering Through Knowledge—Genetic testing provides the tools a person needs to make informed decisions and offers an arsenal of options to help prevent cancer in the future. Increasingly, patients with inherited genetic abnormalities are taking steps such as closer medical surveillance, medications, or surgery to prevent the onset of cancer.

While only 5-10 percent of some cancers are from inherited mutated genes, genetic testing offers early detection, which significantly increases the chances of successful outcomes. We offer confidential genetic testing and counseling to provide options for prevention or treatment.

The physicians and staff at Texas Oncology–Waco are delivering “More breakthroughs. More victories.” through programs like the Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment Program.

For more information, visit www.TexasOncology.com.