Genetic Testing And Counselling

Cells become cancer cells largely because of mutations in their genes. Most cancers are caused by gene changes that start in a single cell of the body that grows and reproduces uncontrollably. The cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs over the course of a person's life, causing most cancers.

Some types of cancer run in certain families, while most cancers are not clearly linked to the genes we inherit from our parents. There are two inherent types of gene mutations - acquired and inherited.

Genetic testing is the use of medical tests to look for certain mutations in a person’s genes. It helps in identifying or estimating the chance of developing cancer in your lifetime. It can be used in many ways to look for gene changes linked to cancer by searching for specific changes in your genes, chromosomes, or proteins.

Genetic testing and counselling may be recommended for people who have had certain cancers or certain patterns of cancer in their families. Genetic testing may help predict your risk of a particular disease as well as identify if you have genes that may pass increased cancer risk to your children.