Knowledge is power when it comes to family history and cancer risk. “When we think of family history in terms of cancer genetics and inherited genetic mutations, we think about a broad spectrum of relatives, more than just your parents and siblings,” says Leigha Senter, MS, CGC, a licensed genetic counselor at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. “We ask about grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, and that can inform us about how likely people are to have hereditary predispositions for cancer.” Senter and her Ohio State colleagues work for one of the largest and most advanced genetic counseling programs in the country. “We have several genetic counselors on the faculty supporting the cancer program, many of whom specialize in specific types of cancer,” Senter says. Click here to learn more about genetic counseling from Ohio State’s cancer specialists. Among the conditions studied and addressed by Ohio State’s team are the most common cancer-causing inherited genetic mutations — BRCA1 and BRCA2, which increase the risk of breast, ovarian, pancreas and prostate cancers, and Lynch syndrome, which raises the risk of colorectal and uterine cancers. “The average woman has a 12 percent chance of developing breast cancer over the course of her lifetime,” Senter says. “Those with BRCA1 and BRCA2 have anywhere from a 50 to 80 percent chance.” Click here to learn more about breast cancer care and research at the OSUCCC – James. Uncovering inherited genetic mutations leads to earlier and more frequent screenings that can detect cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages. In the case of patients with Lynch syndrome, earlier and more frequent colonoscopies “can actually prevent a cancer from happening,” Senter says. Cascade testing One of the ways Ohio State’s genetic counselors maximize the impact of screening is the cascade testing approach, which involves the sharing of results with family members, who are then encouraged to undergo their own procedures. Someone in every family is always the first to test positive for an inherited genetic mutation,” Senter says. “The next step is to help them share this information with as many family members as possible. This is cascade testing, and it’s where there’s real potential to help people.” To spread that information, Senter and her colleagues have developed helpful tools, including videos and explanatory letters for sharing. And, no matter where family members live, Ohio State geneticists can help them schedule genetic testing and screenings. “We have a broad network of colleagues we can connect people with,” she says. “I think of this as a gift to a family. This is information they didn’t have before that will really impact them and their family members.” Click here for our Family Health Risk Calculator, a free tool that can assess your hereditary risk for cancer.