Blog & Media

Posted 7 days ago

When Should My Child Have Genetic Testing?

Most hereditary cancer predispositions, such as Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer syndrome (BRCA1/2) and Lynch syndrome, follow a specific pattern of inheritance known as autosomal dominant inheritance. This means that when an individual is found to have a gene mutation that increases their risk for cancer, there is a 50% chance that their children may have also inherited the same gene mutation. This often leads to the question of “when should I have my children tested?” The answer is usually when they are 18 or older. But why is this?

When it comes to health conditions that don’t typically affect an individual until adulthood, especially when there would be no change in medical management in adolescence, there is really not a clear benefit to knowing early. It’s generally thought to be in the best interest of the child to wait for them to be able to make their own decision about genetic testing in adulthood. Please keep in mind, there can be exceptions to this and a genetic counselor can help you determine if your family may want to consider testing before the age of 18.

It’s natural for parents to want to protect their children, but the decision about whether or not to test for future cancer risks can be a difficult one to make. By letting children grow up and make this decision for themselves respects their independence and helps them feel more in control of their own health journey. This in turn ensures they can use the information to make positive changes in their life. Additionally, not everyone chooses to pursue genetic testing. Some individuals would prefer not to have this type of information for a variety of reasons. Taking away someone’s ability to make this choice for themselves can often cause more harm than good. This careful approach shows our commitment to ethical and caring healthcare practices with the ultimate goal of keeping everyone as safe as possible, while ensuring their autonomy over their own healthcare.

Mandy Kass, MS, CGC

Certified Genetic Counselor

As a certified oncology genetic counselor, Mandy works with patients who have a personal and/or family history of cancer to assess their risk of having an inherited cancer predisposition. This information allows for the pursuit of early detection or possibly prevention of certain cancer types.

The ultimate goal of cancer genetic counseling is to empower patients to use their personal risk information to better inform treatment and management decisions and to educate family members on their possible cancer risks.

Mandy obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Arizona State University in 2013. She then went on to pursue her Master’s Degree in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College and graduated in 2016. Her training in genetic counseling included clinical rotations at several locations throughout New York City, including Columbia University Medical Center, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, and Bellevue Hospital.

Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, Mandy worked for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. She is also a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors and of the Cancer Special Interest Group. Outside of work, Mandy enjoys exploring Arizona, traveling, and spending time with her family, friends, and two golden retrievers.

She is happy to be part of Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers and to manage a genetic counseling department based on individualized care, patient education, and supportive guidance.