At Good Samaritan Medical Center in Palm Beach, Florida, patients have access to genetic testing through our cancer treatment center, the Palm Beach Cancer Institute. Genetic testing can be performed for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, and melanoma.
For more information or to find out if you or someone you know may be a candidate for testing, email us or call (561) 366-4118.
Cancer can result from many factors, including mutated or altered genetic information passed on by family members. Researchers have identified genes that can put a person at higher risk for certain cancers, including breast, ovarian and colon cancer. Inherited genetic changes contribute in up to 7 to 10% of some cancers.
The Procedure
At our cancer treatment center, genetic screening and counseling make it possible for many patients to learn if they may be at a higher risk for these cancers. This knowledge allows them to develop a lifetime follow-up program. The steps in the process are as follows:
- A brief phone interview with a team member from the Palm Beach Cancer Institute.
- Persons then complete a cancer-risk assessment questionnaire, detailing family cancer history.
- Our medical oncologists and other members of our healthcare team assess individual risk, based on the questionnaire.
- Persons then return to our cancer treatment center for counseling, examination and explanation of the genetic testing process.
- If the candidate decides to undergo testing, a blood sample is taken for analysis.
- Once results are complete, persons receive a full explanation.
- If a mutated gene is detected, physicians and counselors can recommend a personal plan designed to promote prevention and early detection. The plan may include increasing the frequency of screening and self-examinations, as well as more radical interventions such as surgery. The Good Samaritan staff helps persons consider options and make decisions. Each person tested in our cancer treatment center receives an individualized plan for lifetime follow-up.