IIt’s great news that neither you nor none of your close family members have been diagnosed with cancer. Regardless of family history, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends that all adults with Ashkenazi Jewish heritage – individuals with at least one Jewish grandparent from Central or Eastern Europe – consider hereditary cancer testing.
The hereditary cancer test screens for over 60 genes associated with cancer risk, including BRCA1 and BRCA2. A negative result means you have significantly lower risk of developing cancer associated with the specific genes. A positive result means you can talk to a genetic counselor and your doctor to create a personalized care plan to proactively monitor your health.