Genetic Testing for Lung Cancer

Breathe Easier with Clarity About Your Risk

Our genetic testing panel screens for genetic variants linked to a higher risk of lung cancer, empowering you and your family to pursue earlier detection, smarter surveillance, and informed care decisions.

Sharon Pollack, MS, CGC

This post was originally published in 2026, and last updated in August 2026.

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The Genetics of Lung Cancer Are More Significant Than Most Realize

While lifestyle factors often dominate the conversation around lung cancer, some cases stem from inherited genetic mutations—which can be detected through testing long before any symptoms appear.¹

Identify Your Inherited Risk

Everyone’s genetics are different. Personalized testing and genetic counseling can help identify your individual risk and determine if you have an increased chance of developing lung cancer¹

Genetic Mutations Matter Independently of Smoking

Some gene changes, like those in TP53, STK11, and EGFR, run in families and can raise lung cancer risk even in people who have never smoked.²

Precision Medicine Depends on Genetic Knowledge

Treatments that target specific gene changes are some of the best options available for lung cancer today. Finding these changes early makes a real difference.³

Family Patterns Reveal Hereditary Risk

When lung cancer runs in a family, or shows up at a younger age than expected, it may be a sign of an inherited condition.² A formal genetic evaluation can help get answers.

Genetic Counseling Included

Every jscreen result comes with access to a board-certified genetic counselor who will walk you through your report in plain language, answer your questions, and coordinate care recommendations with your physician.

Who Should Consider Hereditary Lung Cancer Genetic Testing

Family History of Lung Cancer

When a parent, sibling, or child has been diagnosed with lung cancer, particularly if they were young or never smoked much, it may point to a higher inherited risk running in the family.²

Non-Smokers with Lung Cancer Risk Concern

Lung cancer in a non-smoker is often driven by an inherited gene change rather than lifestyle. For this group of patients, genetic testing can be an important step toward understanding the disease and finding the right treatment.

Personal Lung Cancer Diagnosis

For people already diagnosed with lung cancer, genetic testing can identify gene changes that point to the most effective treatments and help family members understand their own risk.

Known Hereditary Cancer Syndrome in the Family

Some inherited conditions like Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome are known to raise the risk of several cancers. Lung cancer is one of them, and people from these families can benefit greatly from formal genetic evaluation.^4,5

Multiple Cancer Types Across Generations

When lung cancer appears alongside other cancers like sarcoma, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, or brain tumors on the same side of the family, and across multiple generations, it can be a sign that an inherited syndrome may run in the family.⁶

Proactive Risk Assessment

Genetic testing is not just for people with a family history of cancer. Anyone who wants to better understand their inherited cancer risk can benefit. A negative result is reassuring, meaning the genes analyzed do not point to a higher risk of developing cancer. A positive result is a starting point, giving patients and their care team the information needed to build a personalized plan.

Key Genes Covered in Lung Cancer Testing Panel

Our test includes a comprehensive panel of genes with clinically established links to hereditary lung cancer risk.

Full gene list available here. Results reviewed by board-certified genetic counselors.

Gene

Disease

TP53

Associated with Li Fraumeni Syndrome, TP53 confers a dramatically elevated lifetime risk of lung cancer and multiple other malignancies.²

STK11

Variants in STK11 cause Peutz Jeghers Syndrome. Affected individuals face increased lifetime lung cancer risk compared to the general population and are candidates for increased monitoring.²

EGFR

Rare variants in EGFR are associated with familial non small cell lung cancer.²

BRCA2

Beyond breast and prostate cancer, BRCA2 mutations are also associated with a moderately elevated lung cancer risk and may influence the type of recommended treatments.⁷

ATM

ATM mutations contribute to a broader hereditary cancer landscape that may include lung cancer susceptibility, particularly in combination with other clinical risk factors.⁷‍

Simple, from Home to Results

jscreen is designed for accessibility. No clinic visit, waiting rooms, or needles – just a saliva sample from home.

Order Your Kit

Collect Your Sample

Provide a simple saliva sample at home, following the easy step-by-step instructions included in your kit.

Lab Analysis

Your sample is analyzed at a CLIA-accredited laboratory using advanced sequencing technology across the full gene panel.

Receive Results

Receive your results within 3 to 4 weeks. You can choose to schedule a complimentary consultation with a certified genetic counselor to review your findings.

Accessible, Transparent Pricing

jscreen is committed to making hereditary cancer testing financially accessible regardless of your insurance status.

Insurance Billing

Most commercial insurance plans cover hereditary cancer testing for individuals who meet criteria based on their racial or ethnic background, personal history, or family history. You will receive a personalized cost estimate from our lab partner. Your final cost depends on your family history and specific insurance plan. Our care navigators are here to help you work through the process and connect you with our financial assistance programs when needed.

Self-Pay Option

Prefer not to use insurance? jscreen offers a straightforward, competitive self- pay rate of $249, plus the upfront fee of $49, for a total of $298. This covers lab testing fees, physician review and test ordering, and access to our genetic counselors and care navigators throughout the testing process.

The Clearest Breath You Will Ever Take Is the Breath of Knowing.

Join tens of thousands of individuals who have taken a proactive step toward protecting their health and their family's future with jscreen.

Get Started Today

References

Liv Hospital. What causes lung cancer in non-smokers? Genetic and environmental factors explained. Livhospital.com. Published February 2026. Accessed June 2026. https://int.livhospital.com/what-causes-lung-cancer-in-non-smokers-genetic-and-environmental-factors-explained/
MedlinePlus Genetics. Lung cancer. medlineplus.gov. Accessed June 2026. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/lung-cancer
Desai A, Menon SP, Dy GK. Alterations in genes other than EGFR/ALK/ROS1 in non-small cell lung cancer: trials and treatment options. Cancer Biol Med. 2016;13(1):77-86. doi:10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2016.0008
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Hereditary cancer syndromes and risk assessment: ACOG COMMITTEE OPINION, Number 793. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;134(6):e143-e149. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000003562
Kerrigan K, Chan J, Vagher J, et al. Lung cancer in Li-Fraumeni syndrome. JCO Precis Oncol. 2021;5:1093-1098. doi:10.1200/PO.20.00468
American Cancer Society. Family cancer syndromes. Cancer.org. Accessed June 2026. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/genetics/family-cancer-syndromes.html
The INHERIT study: 5 genetic clues changing lung cancer risk. udshealth.com. Updated December 2025. Accessed June 2026. https://udshealth.com/blog/inherit-study-hereditary-lung-cancer-risk/
Offin M, Chan JM, Tenet M, et al. Concurrent RB1 and TP53 alterations define a subset of EGFR-mutant lung cancers at risk for histologic transformation and inferior clinical outcomes. J Thorac Oncol. 2019;14(10):1784-1793. doi:10.1016/j.jtho.2019.06.002