Like wearing sunscreen or getting your blood pressure checked at the doctor, genetic testing is another important tool to help manage your health and lifestyle.
Your genes can give you clues into your risk of developing disease. If you have an increased risk of a condition, you can take steps to help you stay healthy.
Eating right, exercising, and getting routine checkups are great for the average person. But what if you’re not average?
The health benefits of genetic testing
Your genes can tell you if there’s something more you should be doing to improve your health or stay healthy, including:
- Changing your lifestyle, diet, or exercise routine
- Early action to prevent the onset of disease
- Seeing a specialist or adding a new healthcare provider to your care team
- More frequent, earlier or different types of screenings for a particular condition or disease
1 in 6 healthy adults is at increased risk for a serious health concern due to their genetics – and probably doesn’t know it. If that’s you, genetic testing can empower you to make informed decisions about your health and lifestyle so you can live your best life.
Genetic testing and cancer genes
2 in 5 Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime according to the Canadian Cancer Society (www.cancer.ca/en/research/cancer-statistics.ca). And sadly, approximately 1 in 4 Canadians is expected to die of the disease. In many cases, a person’s genetics has made them more susceptible to cancer. Genetic testing can help identify these mutations (also called pathogenic variants) that can help guide healthcare decisions.
What is proactive genetic testing?
Proactive genetic testing can help individuals to understand their health risks before an onset of symptoms. It gives a healthy population insights into important health risks based on their DNA. It provides individuals with the opportunity to potentially prevent disease through early care, regular monitoring, lifestyle modifications, and partnership with clinicians. It focuses on actionable medical conditions, empowering individuals to make well-informed healthcare and lifestyle decisions.
How do I find out if I have an increased risk for cancer based on my genes?
1 in 8 patients with cancer has a genetic change in a gene linked to increased cancer risk that is passed down through their family. Genetic testing allows healthcare providers to find which patients have these inherited genetic risks. Genetic testing can be arranged through your doctor and is usually done through a blood or saliva sample.
Why is it important to know about genetic risks for cancers?
If you have a genetic mutation you may have a higher chance of getting certain cancers. The goal of proactive genetic testing is to keep you as safe and healthy as possible. Genetic testing results can provide information that can be used to create a customized and tailored health plan which might include certain steps to reduce your cancer risks including:
- Earlier, more frequent, and/or additional cancer screenings
- Medications that can decrease the risk of developing cancer
- Lifestyle changes that may decrease your risk of developing cancer
- Preventative surgery to reduce your risk of developing cancer
What about my family?
We inherit our genes from our parents, share them with our siblings and pass them on to our children. Discovering that you have a genetic mutation means that your family members may also be at risk. They can get tested too and, if they also have the genetic change, can take the same actions as you to either try to prevent cancer development or take actions to detect a cancer if it develops earlier, when treatment is most effective.
Ready to take the next step?
We offer genetic testing at Beam Radiology. For more information, please contact us at 587-885-2988 to book your appointment. You can also read more about our genetic screening processes here.
