Familial Cancer Program

Overview

Familial cancer program.

Mayo Clinic's familial cancer program helps to identify, educate and treat patients at increased risk for cancer due to hereditary factors. At Mayo, highly trained and experienced physicians and geneticists work together to help patients understand their risk for developing a primary (first) cancer and secondary (additional or recurrent) cancers. The team also works with other family members to determine their risk of developing cancer.

Mayo Clinic's familial cancer program offers patients:

• Cancer risk assessment and genetic testing
• Cancer risk education and counseling
• Customized screening and prevention options

Evaluation

Individuals eligible for Mayo's familial cancer program may have inherited a gene mutation (permanent structural alteration in DNA) that increases their risk for some cancers. Mayo Clinic specialists provide genetic testing for gene mutations that increase the risk of certain cancers. Gene test results may help guide recommendations for monitoring and treatment of patients and their families. People who may benefit from evaluation and treatment include those who have:

• A personal history of cancer diagnosed before age 50 or multiple primary cancers
• One or more first-degree relatives (parent, brother/sister, child) or second-degree relatives (aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, grandparent) diagnosed with cancer at or before age 50
• Two or more first- or second-degree relatives diagnosed with cancer at any age
• One or more first- or second-degree relatives with two primary cancers, such as breast and ovarian
• Multiple relatives with the same type of cancer, such as ovarian cancer
• Cancer syndrome (a set of symptoms occurring together)
• Familial cancer syndromes

Education

Education and counseling about cancer risk, cancer risk reduction and effective screening and prevention methods are key elements of Mayo Clinic's familial cancer program. A multispecialty team of Mayo doctors developed the familial cancer program to coordinate preventive care and treatment for individuals who are at risk for hereditary cancers.

Services

Patients who receive care through Mayo Clinic's familial cancer program have access to many individualized medical services:

• Comprehensive review and discussion of personal and family health history
• Medical, laboratory and X-ray tests as required
• Cancer risk factors review and personal cancer risk assessment
• Discussion of the patient's emotional and social concerns, including coping strategy recommendations
• Genetic testing and counseling, as appropriate, including a discussion of insurance implications
• Personalized recommendations for cancer prevention and screening options

Research

Mayo physicians provide eligible patients with the opportunity to participate in research studies that may help advance the medical community's understanding of cancer. Researchers study cancer risk factors (both genetic and nongenetic) and the impact of changing lifestyle factors — such as exercise or smoking — on cancer risk. Mayo physicians use these studies to develop new approaches to the prevention and management of genetic cancers.