Genes and cancer: Fullerton Genetics helps employees understand their risk.
Many of your employees may worry about their risk for cancer--some of them with good reason. Fortunately, there are genetic tests available that can tell whether a person has an unusually high risk for certain inherited cancers like breast and colon cancer. And advances in genetic testing are happening all the time.
Mission Hospital's Fullerton Genetics Center serves all of western North Carolina and has been responding to the community's questions and concerns about hereditary diseases for years. From birth defects to developmental delays, neurological conditions, pregnancy planning, and hereditary cancers, Fullerton Genetics can help your employees determine whether they may have an underlying inherited risk to certain diseases, or whether they may be more fearful than necessary.
Board certified genetic counselors from Fullerton are available to answer questions about what genetic testing entails. "If an employee is concerned about inheriting a particular cancer, we will first take a detailed family history to determine if there is appears to be an increased risk, and depending on the findings we may suggest further testing," says Kerry Crandall, a counselor at Fullerton.
"Our job is to educate and guide each person based on their particular needs and concerns," Crandall adds. "If he or she is a good candidate for hereditary cancer testing, then we will work to see if they have coverage so they are protected financially."
Employers may find that careful observation to see if there is a subset of employees at a higher risk than average can go a long way in preventing or properly treating cancer. By having the correct information employees may be reassured or know that vigilant monitoring is important to detect cancer at its earliest most treatable stages. In either case, productivity may be improved and costs better contained. Preventing cancer is a lot less expensive than treating it, and treating it early is likely to cost less and be more successful than it would at an advanced stage.
Given that one in three individuals is estimated to develop cancer, we should all take steps to understand our risk. Every cancer is a genetic disease and some of us harbor risk for the development of it in our lifetime based on the genes we have inherited from our parents. A predisposition gene for a particular cancer does not necessarily mean a person will get it, but if they have a strong family history their cancer risk may be higher than the general population. Approximately 5-10% of breast and ovarian cancer, and 5% of colon cancer can be inherited.
The vast majority of cancer, however, is not inherited but occurs randomly or comes from the environment in which we live or work. Lungs exposed to cigarette smoke or radon gas, or skin exposed to excessive amounts of sunlight contribute to a much greater incidence for cancer development then heredity alone. It is important to minimize environmental exposures, especially if you may be particularly predisposed to cancer development.
"If your employees have concerns they should call us to talk about it," says Crandall. "The good news is that often people have an elevated perception about being at risk and don't have as much to worry about as they think. For some it is a good opportunity to have a correct perception and alleviate the fears."
For more information about the full range of services offered through the Fullerton Genetics Center, please call (828) 213-0022 or toll free at (888) 810-2800.
