Do your genes put you at risk for cancer?
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This story is brought to you by Mountain View Hospital, which strives to be the facility of choice for Idaho Falls and surrounding areas. The hospital is owned and operated by local physicians and provides a full complement of inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic and rehabilitative services for patients of all ages. Dr. Christian Shull knows a lot about cancer and genetics, and it isn’t just because he’s an oncologist at Teton Cancer Institute.
With a strong family history of breast and ovarian cancer, including a mother who is a survivor of both, Dr. Shull has been acquainted with cancer his entire life.
And it’s precisely this acquaintance that has helped Dr. Shull be where he is today, and pushed him to pursue studies in oncology.
During those studies he learned about a gene called BRCA and other genetic markers showing a higher risk for cancers.
He called his mother and recommended she get tested for the gene mutation. She did, and the test came back positive.
Those positive results were his first foray into the world of cancer genetics and since then he has studied a myriad of other genetic abnormalities that increase risks for different cancers.
Now, Dr. Shull is helping bring more awareness to eastern Idaho through a new genetic screening program available through Teton Cancer Institute.
TCI’s program will help patients discover whether or not they are a candidate for genetic testing, by providing a screening form to access risks, which include family history of cancer, diagnosis age and multiple cancer diagnosis.
“We are providing patients and families with the right information and real options … to mitigate their own inherited cancer risk.”
TCI’s Nurse Navigators and the Medical Oncologist will determine risk levels. The program will offer genetic counseling and the option provide further testing at that time.
And if the test’s results show there are abnormalities, Dr. Shull and his team can help go over what those results mean and offer further guidance for proactive precautions.
In terms of the BRCA gene, there are a few different options.
Dr. Shull said many women choose prophylactic surgery, but also many women choose not to and to undergo closer monitoring through alternating mammograms and breast MRI’s every six months.
“Based on the cancer types we are evaluating, we only screen for the inherited syndromes in which evidence suggests a change in medical management will positively impact the patient and/or family. It’s not any good to tell a patient, ‘You’ve got this mutation in this particular gene, but we are unsure of the cancer risk and how to manage you differently, good luck,'” Shull said. “So what we do is ensure we are providing patients and families with the right information and real options to allow them the opportunity to mitigate their own inherited cancer risk.”
Although genetic testing may not be right for everyone, Dr. Shull believes it gives people knowledge that can empower them to do something about their individual situations and hopes it can help people take control of their health through awareness.
Interested in finding out more?
You can visit Teton Cancer Institute’s website for the genetic testing questionnaire or pick one up at Mountain View Hospital.