Genetic Testing

Hi @melclarity, my first app with her was at a major public hospital before I had my chemo in the private system. She offered the test & I literally just walked down the hall & filled in a form & then had the blood taken & it was free. I had a young cousin who died of BC 30 years ago & I think she became alarmed when I told her!

Hi @Pahill I had to go specifically to Familial Cancer Clinic at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, I'm surprised @Glemmis you got it done with the Oncologist? I've never heard of that before? I know it was a series of questions to fill in and then you have a meeting with the Geneticist. They take a blood sample and send it away. Its really super easy no big deal at all. I'm sure they just check for BRCA Gene or for more money there may be other mutations they can I can't remember, but it definitely wasnt a general cancer screen. x

Hi @Pahill I had the genetics test due to my young age. They send you out a questionnaire about your family history which you fill in and send back (basically who had cancer which type what age etc). Then I saw a lovely genetic counselor in the city who went back over the history and and worries I had and a bit about the testing they do. Mainly it’s BRCA1 BRCA2 PALB2 TP53 and ATM. They do a blood sample and send it away takes about 12wks if it’s not urgent. I was negative but they still asked if I wanted to discuss findings with a professor from Peter Mac in Melbourne who comes to Hobart every so often. I did that and he too was lovely. I enrolled in a research study which means that they keep testing my blood if they find anything new and let me know. Hope that helps x

Hi @Pahill, before I started chemotherapy my oncologist suggested I might like to get tested for BRCA1 & 2 & said I could have it done there & then with a blood test & no charge so I did. She gave me the results 6 weeks later which were negative. I suspect if they were positive then I would have been offered counselling. 

You can start a new conversation any time, @Pahill. I  have a referral in to see someone at present. I think first you talk to a genetic counsellor, and they take a really comprehensive history of cancers on both sides of your family, starting with immediate family and working out. From there they can work  out risks, and whether you're eligible for any government funded testing, such as BRCA 1& 2, or not, and where to go from there. @primek, @melclarity, or many others will be able to help more, I'm sure