Here at Navigenics, some of the questions people ask us frequently relate to genetic testing and family health history. Doesn’t family history provide enough health information all on its own? How do genetic test results work with family history?
The short answer is that family history is important, but it can’t provide the whole story.
Many women who develop breast cancer, for example, have no family history of the disease. And someone who lost a grandfather and a father to heart attacks is not necessarily destined to have the same fate. Your genetic makeup is very individual in some important ways, making personal genetic information a valuable addition to family history.
In addition, for many of us, family history is often incomplete or inaccurate:
- One sibling may recall that grandma died of lymphoma, while another insists it was breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. Who is right?
- Other families just don’t feel comfortable discussing health problems with younger generations. Your dad may have diabetes, but does not talk about it.
- And for the millions of Americans who were adopted or created from donated sperm or eggs, knowledge of their biological parents’ medical backgrounds can be difficult – if not impossible – to come by.
Whether you know a lot or a little about your family history, genetic testing can give you a more complete picture of your genetic predispositions so that you can take control of your health future.
Navigenics assesses genetic risk for many common health conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, prostate cancer and heart attack.
For more details and answers to family history questions, see the Family History section of our website, which includes an animated slideshow on family history and genetic inheritance.
We also have some information for people who are adopted or don’t know their family history.
Have more questions on family history? Let us know by posting a comment here.
Michael Apr 29, 2009
Great point about some family members not wanting to talk about any potential health problems—I think that’s a larger, and more significant, issue than what’s given proper credit.