KNOW YOUR RISK. KNOW YOUR OPTIONS.
Genetic testing can help you understand whether an inherited genetic change may increase your risk of cancer. Whether cancer has affected your family or you’re simply wondering if genetic testing makes sense for you, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
HardyStrong is working to make genetic cancer testing more accessible to more people.
What is Genetic Testing?
Think of your genes as instructions your body inherited from your parents. Sometimes, a change in one of those genes can increase a person’s risk of developing certain cancers. Hereditary genetic testing looks at your DNA for inherited changes that may affect your cancer risk. Testing is usually done using a blood or saliva sample. The goal of genetic testing is to give you more information about your risk and your options.
Genetic testing is different from tumor testing.
Hereditary genetic testing looks for genetic changes you were born with that may have been passed down through your family. Tumor testing looks at changes that developed in cancer cells and may help doctors make treatment decisions. HardyStrong’s focus is on helping people understand hereditary cancer risk and access genetic testing.
Why Does Genetic Testing Matter?
Information can give you options. Learning that you may have an increased genetic risk for cancer can be a lot to take in. But having that information can also give you something important: the opportunity to make informed decisions about your health.
Genetic testing can’t tell you with certainty whether you will develop cancer. It doesn’t change your past, and it doesn’t guarantee what will happen in the future. What it can do is provide information that you and your healthcare team can use to make decisions about what comes next.
-
Some inherited genetic changes are associated with a higher risk of certain cancers. Kowing that risk may mean starting certain screenings earlier, having them more often, or using different screening methods. Knowing your risk can help you and your healthcare team make a plan instead of waiting for a problem to appear.
-
For some inherited genetic changes, there are steps that may lower cancer risk. The right approach is different for everyone, and your healthcare team can help you understand which options, if any, make sense for you.
-
For someone who has already been diagnosed with cancer, genetic testing may provide information that helps guide treatment decisions. It may also help doctors understand whether an inherited genetic change could be important for future care.
-
Your genetic information may be important to more than just you. If testing identifies an inherited genetic change, your parents, siblings, children, and other relatives may also have an opportunity to learn whether they carry the same change. One person’s decision to get tested can sometimes give an entire family information they didn’t have before.
Could Genetic Testing Be Right for Me?
You may want to talk with your doctor about genetic testing if:
Cancer runs in your family
A family member was diagnosed with cancer at a young age
Several people in your family have had cancer
Someone in your family has had more than one type of cancer
Someone in your family has already tested positive for a genetic mutation
You or your family member has had a type of cancer that may be associated with hereditary cancer risk
You also don’t have to figure out on your own whether your family history is significant enough to warrant testing. A genetic counselor or healthcare provider can look at your individual history and help determine whether genetic testing may be appropriate for you.
You don’t need to check every box.
What Do I Say to My Doctor?
“Cancer runs in my family, and I’m wondering if I could have an inherited risk. Would genetic testing make sense for me?”
“Can you refer me to a genetic counselor?
“I’d like to understand my family’s cancer history. Can you help me determine whether genetic testing would be appropriate for me?”
What Could My Results Mean?
Genetic testing doesn’t always give a simple yes or no. There are three potential outcomes:
Positive: A genetic change associated with increased cancer risk was identified.
A positive result does not mean that you have cancer or that you will definitely develop cancer. It means you have an increased risk for certain cancer(s), and your healthcare team can help you understand what that means for you.
Negative: No harmful genetic changes were identified in the genes tested.
A negative result can be reassuring, but it also does not mean that you have zero risk of cancer. A negative result rules out genetic reasons for developing cancer.
Uncertain: Sometimes testing identifies a genetic change that scientists don’t yet know enough about to determine whether it affects cancer risk.
This is called a variant of uncertain significance or VUS. Scientists are constantly learning more information about how genetic mutations affect health outcomes, and more information on a VUS may come later.
How Do I Get Started?
Don’t assume testing is out of reach. The cost of genetic testing can vary depending on your insurance, your medical history, the laboratory, and the type of testing being performed. Insurance coverage, financial assistance, self-pay options, and other resources may be available. HardyStrong is committed to helping connect people with resources that can make genetic testing easier to access and understand.
HardyStrong & jscreen
HardyStrong has partnered with jscreen to help expand access to genetic testing for hereditary cancer risk. Hereditary cancer testing and genetic counseling provided by jscreen allows people to begin the process from home.
If you’re interested in learning more, visit jscreen to explore their current testing options.
Use code HARDYSTRONG during checkout to reduce the upfront cost of hereditary cancer testing to $10. Once your kit is received, jscreen’s lab partner, Myriad Genetics, will send you a personalized cost estimate based on your insurance coverage. Many participants who have a personal or family history of cancer will pay $0 for lab fees. If your insurance does not cover testing or you prefer to self-pay, the cost is $249. If you receive an estimate that you cannot afford, please contact jscreen for your options.
WE VALUE YOUR PRIVACY: HardyStrong will not have access to any of your personal health or financial information.
More Resources
The National Society of Genetic Counselors provides a searchable directory to help you find a genetic counselor.
These resources provided by the CDC can help you collect and organize your family’s health information.
The National Cancer Institute provides information about inherited cancer risk, genetic counseling, genetic testing, and understanding your results.