Cancer Runs in Families. Too Few Are Getting Tested.

August 28, 2023

(Wall Street Journal) – Doctors are recommending genetic tests to more cancer patients and their families. Testing costs have dropped, and the results are helping doctors choose newer targeted drugs and encourage relatives to confront their own cancer risk.

“We can test you for dozens of genes at the same time, and it’s going to influence your treatment,” said Dr. Jewel Samadder, co-leader of the Office of Precision Medicine at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Phoenix.

But few patients or their relatives get tested. Genetic counselors are scarce, and some doctors aren’t up-to-date on genetics training or guidance. After a cancer diagnosis, inherited risk isn’t a priority for many patients. (Read More)