There are a number of direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies that have become very popular because they market themselves as an easy way to find out more about your heritage. You simply send the company a DNA sample and get the results back in a written report or via a secure website. They also offer genetic testing for disease risk.
But according to Dr. Ophira Ginsburg, Director of the High-Risk Cancer Program at NYU’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, these tests will not give you the in-depth genetic analysis needed to fully understand your cancer risk. For example, the tests can identify BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in Ashkenazi Jews at a very superficial level. They test only a fraction of the genes’ thousands of mutations. “Buyer beware,” Dr. Ginsburg warns, because you could end up with a false sense of reassurance.
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