Genetic Testing 101

In a previous blog, we talked about the various cancers that seem to run in families. This is because some cancers have a tendency to be hereditary—as in an abnormal gene in the DNA can be passed on from generation to generation. In fact, the American Cancer Society (ACS) explains “about 5% to 10% of all cancers are thought to result directly from gene defects (called mutations) inherited from a parent.”

Genetic testing is therefore becoming the answer to people whose families seem to be predisposed to certain kinds of cancer. According to the ACS, “genetic testing is the use of …read more