Genetic testing can help your physicians make appropriate changes to your different cancer screenings, see if you would benefit from preventive surgeries or pharmaceutical therapies (chemoprevention, like daily aspirin to prevent colon cancer) to decrease cancer risk, and provide information for family members based on results. Genetic testing can also change cancer treatment through use of targeted therapies and surgical prophylaxis such as bilateral mastectomy in women at high risk of breast cancer if they are beneficial.
Genetic testing is broadly available for cancer patients, in particular for those with a personal or family history of rare cancer, early onset cancer, multiple primary cancers, those who have several relatives on the same side of the family with the same cancer or associated types of cancer, personal history of colon polyps, those who have Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, and those who have a relative who have tested positive for a gene mutation related to cancer risk. Genetic counseling, testing, and risk management recommendations are provided with a trained professional to help better understand you and your family’s risk of cancer, and how to proceed.
Genetic testing is available but not limited to:
We offer multigene panels that test for a variety of genes, some of which are specific to a certain type of cancer and others, which are associated with more than one cancer type.
Risk Assessment and Genetic Testing
Fox Chase offers a Risk Assessment Program for individuals and families at risk for cancer and those with cancer. Our team of physicians, nurses and genetic counselors provides clinical and genetic evaluation and testing, screening and cancer risk-reduction services. To contact Fox Chase about these programs call 877-627-9684.
