And if the results are positive, he or she can make important financial, reproductive and career decisions, says Andrea Zanko, a genetic counselor. Support groups are also available to them. For Furbee, the information has enabled him to take control of his life, prompting him to quit a dead-end job for his dream career. It helped him make the decision never to have children, knowing if he has a gene mutation they might have one, too. And it's made him appreciative of simple joys in life, such as playing music or exploring the great outdoors.
Some women have.
And that creates another problem. Because the truth is, not all genetic tests are able to predict with certainty whether an individual will acquire a disease. In the case of breast cancer, for example, environment and lifestyle factors are thought to be as much to blame for the condition as genetics. Although researchers have determined that two specific gene mutations put a woman at an increased risk for getting the cancer, having one of the genes does not mean a woman will develop it. Similarly, just because a woman does not have a gene mutation does not mean she's protected from the cancer.