Methodist hereditary cancer specialists discuss importance of testing as it relates to prevention

"Hereditary cancer is not all that common," said Tammy Johnson, a nurse practitioner who specializes in cancer genetics at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs. "Only about 5- to 10% of cancers are due to a genetic mutation."

Still — for those families who are impacted by hereditary cancers — having information about those mutations is everything.

For instance, the risk of developing ovarian cancer is 1% or less in the general population, Johnson said, but that risk increases to up to 40% to 50% with a BRCA mutation.

Why would you want to know that you have a mutation?

"The earlier that we find that there's a genetic mutation, the better we can screen," Johnson said. "The goal is always to prevent, but if we can't prevent, we want to find it very early."

A screening survey uses patients' personal and family history information to determine if they are eligible to participate in genetic testing. A blood draw is sent to a specialized genetics company for the determination of a genetic mutation or high-risk status.

Some patients who have tested negative for genetic mutations are still determined to be high risk. If a patient has a genetic mutation or is determined to have at least a 20% lifetime risk of cancer, they would have a change in their care management and screening guidelines.

"We're basically looking for people who have themselves had or have family members who have had (certain) types of cancers, or several family members have had those types of cancers or people in their family having those cancers at a younger age, meaning younger than 50," said Kate Spellerberg, a clinical nurse specialist at Methodist Fremont Health in Fremont, Nebraska, who specializes in genetic cancer risk assessment.

Services are offered to all patients — male or female — with risks for any cancer. The goal is to help ensure that anyone with an increased risk of any cancer is screened early and often in an effort to catch cancer before it comes.

The Daily Nonpareil: What my mom’s cancer taught me about my own risk — and the power of genetic testing