Should I Be Tested?
If you are thinking about being tested, you should decide what the advantages and disadvantages of testing are for you. What is right for one person is not always right for another.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of testing?
Genetic testing may help you to:
...make medical and lifestyle choices.
...find out you do not have an altered gene.
...cope with your cancer risk.
...decide whether or not to have prophylactic surgery.
...give other family members useful information (if you choose to share your test results).
...contribute to research.
There are also disadvantages to testing:
...there is no proven way to reduce cancer risk.
...there is no guarantee that test results will remain private.
...you may face discrimination for health insurance, life insurance, or employment.
...you may find it harder to cope with your cancer risk when you know your test results.
...negative test results may provide a false sense of security because you think you have no chance of getting cancer, which is not true. You would still have the same risk as women in the general population.
Lastly, genetic testing can affect relationships with family members. You should think about who in your family might want to know your test results, and whom you might want to tell.
What is informed consent?
If you are thinking about genetic testing, you should be informed, verbally and in writing, about the risks of getting tested as well as what the test can and cannot tell you. You should also sign a form to show that you have been given this information and want to be tested.
After reading the consent form, you can decide if testing is or is not right for you. You may also choose to delay the decision, if perhaps this is not the best time for you to be tested.
Information from the National Cancer Institute
www.cancer.gov.
