Hearing the word "cancer" inevitably generates a response of fear and vulnerability.
A predictive DNA test is an advanced tool that "reads" your genetic map to reveal whether you possess a higher susceptibility to certain conditions. Knowing this information is not a cause for alarm, but rather the key for you and your doctor to design a personalised health strategy and get ahead of any potential problems.
Understanding your genes: Complex risk vs. hereditary risk
To harness the power of genetics, we must first understand that our DNA influences the risk of cancer in two very different ways:
- Complex diseases (polygenic): In most cases, the risk depends on the interaction of multiple genetic variants, your lifestyle, and your environment. Having an elevated risk in this group does not mean you are going to develop the disease, but rather that your genetics make you more sensitive to certain external factors. This is where your habits have an enormous impact.
- Hereditary diseases (monogenic): These involve specific mutations in a single gene that are passed from parents to children. These variants carry a significantly high risk that is, to a large extent, independent of lifestyle, which requires much more rigorous clinical monitoring and medical protocols.
Hereditary cancers: Identifying key mutations
Identifying these variants allows for proactive health management:
- Health: We analyse mutations associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, allowing for the timely detection of the presence of genes such as BRCA.
- Vital markers: We also delve into less well-known but crucial genes for familial screening, such as the PALB2 gene, which is fundamental in the evaluation of hereditary cancer risk.
Predisposition to complex cancers
Digestive system and glands
- Colorectal cancer: Identifying a genetic predisposition allows for the establishment of personalised surveillance, often initiating screening tests before the recommended age.
- Oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer: A risk factor where environmental prevention is key.
- Pancreatic cancer: Knowing your predisposition helps to prioritise the control of known risk factors.
- Non-medullary thyroid cancer: Useful genetic information for endocrine follow-up.
Reproductive and intimate health
- Prostate cancer: Allows for earlier and more effective monitoring of PSA levels.
- Testicular cancer: A tool for awareness and self-examination.
- Endometrial cancer: Vital guidance for gynaecological follow-up.
Dermatological and respiratory health
- Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma: Knowing if your skin is genetically more sensitive helps you to maximise photoprotection measures.
- Lung cancer: Identifying a genetic susceptibility is the definitive push to modify critical environmental factors, such as smoking.
What do you do once you receive the results of your DNA test?
Knowing that you have an elevated predisposition to, for example, colorectal or breast cancer, allows you to justify to your specialist the need to start colonoscopies or mammograms years earlier than the standard protocol dictates.
Furthermore, in complex cancers, lifestyle is the most effective tool to keep genes "silenced". By knowing your genetic weaknesses, you can make informed decisions about your diet, exercise, and exposure to environmental agents, optimising your actual health.
Genetic information is the most advanced form of self-knowledge and preventative medicine available to us today. It is not just about knowing what might happen, but about having the power to act so that, simply put, it does not happen.
With the Advanced DNA test, you will be able to discover your genetic predisposition to these and dozens of other conditions, and take control of your health and that of your family starting today. However, the Ultra DNA test analyses a significantly larger number of genetic markers and offers a superior level of depth, allowing for the detection of a wider spectrum of hereditary diseases and complex traits. It is the definitive option for those seeking maximum precision, allowing science to confirm the most specific details of your genetic profile.
