Using at home genetic-testing doesn't mean you can skip a visit to a specialist

A recent article in the website, Cleveland.com, explains how the ease of receiving internet site genetic testing may have its disadvantages along with the stated advantages. The rise of personal genetic testing seemed to have risen from the discovery of the mutated BCRA1 and BCRA2 genes. These mutated genes are the type that cause some breast or ovarian cancers in women. A women with a family history can now receive personal genetic testing right from her home and can get results mailed right to the doorstep. Direct-to-consumer testing has become more and more commonplace in the past few years with such Internet sights as Navigenics, 23 and Me, and deCODEme. The tests for breast cancer can find the a person's genetic risk of getting that particular disease.

There are some problems with direct-to-consumer testing that have been found. First, the explanations given by the companies are very hard to interpret for people. They will then bring the tests to the family doctors for interpretation, but most times the doctors are not yet very experienced in personalized medicine. Another problem stated by the American College of Medical Genetics states that the genetic testing companies need a more invasive regimen of testing. Instead of a "one-shot" test, the companies need to look at the past family generations, or what is called a "third-generation pedigree". This will enable the companies to give more accurate tests. For instance, a woman may not have the BCRA mutation, so she may stop breast cancer check-ups altogether. However, someone in her immediate family or past lineage may have had the gene, giving her an increased risk for breast or ovarian cancer. The big push by the ACMG and the American Medical Association is for people who receive personal genetic testing to keep seeing their regular, professional doctor. Information from one-time testing may not be totally accurate or contain important risk information.

The issue for most people is actually asking themselves if they want to find out if they have an increased risk for certain diseases. The genetic testing know exceeds far past the oncology field. Do you really want to know if you will get Alzheimer's Disease when you are older? If you find an increased chance of breast cancer, is it alright to have a double mastectomy for your own piece of mind? These are questions that will become more apparent with the rise of personalized medicine.