What compels people to seek out genetic testing?
Smith: Most often people seek out genetic testing to clarify their risk of cancer to help reduce the risk to themselves or their family members. Q: Who generally seeks out genetic testing? S: Most people either have a personal history and/or a strong family history of abnormal cancers in the family, such as male breast cancer. Q: How effective is genetic testing? S: It serves to identify individuals who have a high predisposition to developing a cancer. It clarifies in a family who has a high risk and who doesn’t. That way, we can tailor our medical recommendations based on the individual risks. Q: What does it cost to seek genetic counseling, and is there a process people must go through to get the counseling? S: I accept referrals from physicians, but also take self-referrals. Counseling is free. But for testing we go through insurance preauthorization. We have a high rating of getting insurance to pay all or part of getting the test. The cost is variable; it ranges from hundreds to