Take Control of Your Health: Why Genetic Testing and Early Cancer Screenings Matter

Have you ever wished you could see into the future — especially when it comes to your health?

Genetic testing and cancer screening can’t predict whether you’ll develop cancer, but they can reveal valuable information that helps you make proactive decisions now. Genetic testing may identify an inherited predisposition to certain cancers, while appropriate screenings can detect some cancers or precancerous changes before symptoms appear.

At Cancer Care Institute, Youram Nassir, MD, uses both as part of a personalized approach to cancer care. The goal isn’t to make you worry about what might happen. It’s to give you more information about what you can do today.

Genetic testing turns risk into information

We all carry variations in our DNA. Some inherited genetic changes can significantly increase the risk of certain cancers.

Cancer Care Institute offers genetic testing for inherited risks associated with breast, ovarian, colorectal, prostate, and pancreatic cancers, melanoma, and certain blood cancers. For example, changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, while Lynch syndrome increases the risk of colorectal and several other cancers.

Finding one of these changes doesn’t mean cancer is inevitable. Instead, the information can help Dr. Nassir personalize your prevention and screening plan. Depending on your results, that might mean beginning certain screenings earlier, having them more frequently, or considering additional preventive measures.

Because inherited changes can run in families, your results may also give relatives a reason to discuss their own risk with their healthcare providers.

That’s the real advantage of knowing more: Knowledge can give you choices.

Screening looks for what you can’t necessarily feel

Genetic testing asks, “Could I have an increased inherited risk?”

Cancer screening asks a different question: “Is there something happening now that we need to find?”

Many cancers cause few or no symptoms in their earliest stages. Screening allows us to look for certain cancers before symptoms send you to the doctor.

Dr. Nassir can order comprehensive testing based on your individual needs, including imaging, laboratory, and genetic testing, as well as other specialized evaluations. When appropriate, he can also refer you for screenings and procedures such as Pap and HPV testing or colonoscopy.

But more testing isn’t necessarily better testing. Dr. Nassir considers your age, medical and family history, genetic risk factors, and lifestyle to determine which screenings make sense for you.

No family history? Screening still matters

Having a cancer-free family tree doesn’t mean it’s safe to skip routine screening.

Genetic risk is only one part of cancer risk, and not every cancer results from an inherited mutation. That means people without a significant family history still need age- and risk-appropriate cancer screenings.

On the other hand, do tell your primary healthcare provider or us if several relatives have had the same or related cancers, someone in your family developed cancer unusually young, or a relative carries a known cancer-related genetic mutation. Those clues may make genetic testing worth considering.

You can’t control the future, but you can face it proactively

There’s an understandable temptation to avoid screening or genetic testing because you’re afraid of what you might learn.

But knowing about a risk doesn’t create it. It gives you the opportunity to respond to it.

At Cancer Care Institute, Dr. Nassir combines cancer screening, genetic testing, advanced diagnostics, and personalized medical guidance to help you understand your individual risk and make informed decisions about your health.

You may not be able to see into the future, but you can learn more about your health today and use that knowledge to make informed decisions about what comes next.

If you’re wondering whether you’re due for cancer screening or whether your personal or family history makes genetic testing worth considering, schedule a consultation with Cancer Care Institute in Los Angeles. Taking control of your health starts with knowing what deserves your attention.