The risk assessment team will provide an estimation of a person's risks for specific cancers based upon age, family history and other risk factors. It is important to provide the cancer risk team with accurate family history information including the types of cancers in your family and the ages at which they occurred. It is often helpful to obtain medical records and death certificates whenever possible in order to verify each cancer diagnosis. Family members identified as not having inherited the cancer-causing gene identified in the family would no longer need to have increased surveillance since the risk for CRC would return to that of the average population. Genetic Testing Genetic testing to determine if an individual or family has a hereditary susceptibility to colon cancer is offered to appropriate families following cancer risk assessment.
Mutation testing is most informative when performed on a family member that has had cancer.
Testing may first involve obtaining a piece of the tumor that was removed or a blood test. If a mutation is identified in that individual, this will assist with their cancer surveillance. Once a mutation is identified in a family, anyone can be tested for that specific mutation. Traditionally, the consideration of genetic testing takes place in a multi-step format. The individual considering testing should have a complete educational session with a genetic counselor.