For people with a family history of cancer, three kinds of gene test matter for assessing hereditary risk, Banglavision reports, citing the US National Cancer Institute (NCI): BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene tests, tests for Lynch syndrome, and multigene panel tests.
Certain harmful changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. A doctor may suggest the test when these cancers have struck relatives at a young age. According to labs in Bangladesh, it usually costs Tk 20,000 to 30,000, varying with the lab and the type of test.
Lynch syndrome is an inherited condition that raises the risk of bowel cancer and cancer of the womb lining (endometrium) in particular. A doctor may consider the test when several family members have had these cancers. The cost depends on which genes are tested and the method used; not every lab publishes a price list, so it is worth asking the lab first.
A multigene panel looks for changes in several genes at once. Not every panel is designed for hereditary risk, though; some examine the genetic changes in a cancer patient's tumour to guide treatment. For example, a 32-gene panel at icddr,b costs Tk 28,000, but it is used mainly for tumour treatment.
A family history of cancer at a young age, several relatives with the same cancer, or one person with more than one type of cancer may call for a hereditary risk assessment, and the advice is to see a doctor or genetic counsellor. Where possible, testing the family member who already had cancer first makes it easier to check whether others carry the same change.
A harmful change does not make cancer certain, and not finding one does not rule out every risk. Identifying inherited risk is different from diagnosing a cancer that is present now, so rather than panic, the advice is to take the right test on a doctor's advice, along with regular check-ups and risk-based monitoring.
Photo: Genetic testing in a laboratory (representative), Marc-Lautenbacher / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: Banglavision
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