Cancer Screening
Know your risk, protect your future.
At Tepeyac OB/GYN you have access to unique genetic tests and remote Certified Genetic Counselors that help predict your risk for developing hereditary forms of breast, colon, endometrial, ovarian and other types of cancer. Once you know your risks, you can work with your Tepeyac provider to make confident, proactive decisions about your health and that of your family.
We offer onsite hereditary cancer genetic testing and a genetic counseling tele-education program in an effort to facilitate earlier, more treatable diagnoses, and/or prevent cancers in our patients.
Do you qualify for Hereditary Cancer Genetic Testing?
The Myriad Genetics Hereditary Cancer Quiz helps you to assess whether you might be a good candidate for genetic testing. This simple, 30-second quiz can help you get the information you need to discuss your risk of cancer with your healthcare professional and ask for further evaluation. If you take the quiz and find red flags in your own or your family’s health history, you may benefit from hereditary cancer testing.
The quiz will help you determine if you have risk factors for the following hereditary cancers:*
- Breast cancer
- Colon or rectal cancer
- Gastric cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Uterine (endometrial) cancer
It only takes 30 seconds for you to find out if genetic testing might be right for you. Take the first step in understanding your risk of hereditary cancer with Myriad’s Hereditary Cancer Quiz and please remember to include both your mother’s and father’s side of the family when answering the questions.
*The questions in the Hereditary Cancer Quiz are based on the clinical guidelines healthcare professionals use to determine whether patients should be tested for one of the syndromes associated with the cancers listed above. This is not a test, but rather a questionnaire to help determine hereditary cancer risk so you can be prepared to talk with your healthcare professionals about further evaluation of your personal and family history of cancer. The results of the quiz are only shared with your healthcare provider at Tepeyac OB/GYN.
Genetic Testing 101
Research has shown that up to 10-24% percent of cancers are due to factors that are passed from one generation to the next. These syndromes are known as hereditary cancers and there are genetic tests that can be used to determine an individual’s risk for developing these cancers. If you suspect that you or someone you know may be at risk for cancer –- such as a family history of cancer or membership in an at-risk ethnic population (such as people with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry) –- call Tepeyac OB/GYN about hereditary cancer risk assessment and genetic testing today.
Most cancers are caused by chance. These are called sporadic cancers and we don’t really know what causes these cancers. Some families have cancer histories that can’t be explained by chance alone. Hereditary cancer occurs when an altered gene is passed down in the family from parent to child.
There are many benefits to getting tested to determine if a hereditary cancer syndrome is present, regardless of the eventual result.
If one of your family members had cancer, there is a chance that you inherited a gene mutation that not only increases your personal risk of cancer, but also could be passed to the next generation. Those who are carriers of hereditary cancer gene mutations could be at risk of getting cancer earlier in life than the general population. The sooner genetic testing is done, the more likely it is that the risk can be managed appropriately.
Knowing your personal and family history of cancer is the first step in determining if you might be at increased risk for cancer.
If you can answer yes to any of the questions below, you could have an inherited risk for cancer and may be appropriate for hereditary cancer testing. Please discuss these red flags with your Tepeyac healthcare provider.
MULTIPLE: Have you or your family members been diagnosed with more than one cancer or have there been multiple cancers on the same side of the family?
YOUNG: Have you or your family members been diagnosed with cancer at a young age (≤50 years old)?
RARE: Have you or your family members been diagnosed with a rare cancer such as ovarian or male breast cancer?
ANCESTRY: Are you of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry?
Remember: Your healthcare professional is your most valuable source of information and advice about hereditary cancer screening. Tepeyac OB/GYN offers free access to Certified Genetic Counselors over the phone.
Facts about Myriad’s Genetic Tests:
- Myriad myRisk Hereditary Cancer Panel is the test used at Tepeyac OB/GYN
- Genetic testing is done via blood draw
- 90% of patients pay $0 out of pocket for the testing
- $54 is the average out of pocket cost for patients that do pay anything
- The lab will call the patient if the testing is a non-covered service under their plan prior to starting test
- The BRCA testing is covered per the Affordable Care Act for patients with appropriate risk factors
- Privacy laws are in place to protect you
- Optional payment plans are available, if needed
- There are three types of results: positive, negative or high-risk negative. (They will be reviewed with your provider.)
Schedule your risk assessment appointment today.
To get a more complete picture of your risk for hereditary cancer, Tepeyac OB/GYN offers high-risk screening and genetic tele-education, right in the office. At your risk assessment appointment, you will speak with a certified genetic counselor over the phone, who will gather information about your family and personal history to determine if genetic testing is right for you.
If you have questions about hereditary cancer screening and genetic education, or if you would like to schedule a risk assessment appointment to speak with a certified genetic counselor in our office, please call (703) 273-9440. We look forward to speaking with you.