WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Are you at increased risk for cancer? Genetic testing is an option to find out
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Seven years ago Jeradi Cohen battled breast breast cancer.
Was it all a coincidence? She had always known her father's family had a history of the disease.
Genetic testing, with a simple blood test, gave her an answer.
"I'm a BRCA1 carrier which puts you in a very high risk category for breast cancer and ovarian cancer," said Cohen.
She also wondered if the gene had passed to her children. Turns out her daughter 29 year old daughter Katie has the gene as well.
"Katie knowing at a young age means she has the opportunity of stopping cancers in her family," said Kara Bui, a cancer genetics counselor with the Carilion Clinic cancer genetics program.
For Katie that means getting mammograms at an earlier age and breast check-ups every six months. Chemoprevention and preventive surgery are also options.
Jeradi decided to have her ovaries removed and a double mastectomy.
But Katie still must decide what to do.
"It's good information, scary information. It's just not something you think you'd have to do that early in life. It's either be preventive or don't, than you run the risk," said Katie Ganhewa.
It's not just breast cancer, you can be tested for a variety of cancers such as colon cancer, thyroid cancer, even skin cancer.
Most of the time it is covered by insurance if it's determined you are a good candidate for genetic testing.
Bui also points out that there are now state and federal laws to protect people from genetic discrimination. So people don't have to worry about it affecting their insurance just because they have one of the mutated genes.
If you're interested in finding out if you're a good candidate for genetic testing you can call 540-525-2195.
