After an initial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer diagnosis, you might feel very overwhelmed by the mountain of information that has been given to you. There is a lot to learn. It can be difficult to take in all of this new information at a time when you might be especially stressed and anxious now that cancer is in your world. Sometimes, learning is even more challenging because many of the words being used are medical and highly technical.
One of the areas of information you might be struggling to understand is the difference between genetic testing and tumor biomarker testing. Both genetic testing and tumor biomarker testing are recommended for every person diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The results of these tests give doctors information that helps them to select medications that can be effective for your specific cancer.
Definitions:
Genetic Testing looks for inherited changes in specific genes that are known to be associated with an increased risk of getting cancer. Any person with an ovarian cancer diagnosis should have genetic testing done to determine if they have inherited a changed version of one or more of such genes from one of their parents. Inherited changes are present in every cell in your body, so genetic testing is done on a saliva or blood sample or a cheek swab.
Tumor Biomarker Testing looks for changes in the cancer cells. Tumor biomarker testing may be completed on a sample of the cancer obtained during surgery or biopsy. It may also be completed on a cancerous fluid sample or on a blood sample (liquid biopsy).
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Genetic Testing |
Tumor Biomarker Testing |
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Tests for specific changes present in all cells in the body |
Tests for specific changes found in the cancer cells |
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Completed on a saliva or blood sample or cheek swab |
Completed on a sample of the cancer cells taken during surgery or a biopsy of the tumor, cancerous fluid, or blood |
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Ordered soon after an ovarian cancer diagnosis |
Ordered soon after an ovarian cancer diagnosis |
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Other terms: germline testing |
Other terms: genomic testing, molecular profiling, somatic testing, tumor profiling, tumor testing |
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Both may help your doctor make personalized treatment decisions for you |
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Genetic testing may reveal inheritable conditions that can potentially affect other family members and be passed down to children. Due to the complexity of emotions that often accompany this reality, it is recommended that you seek genetic counseling before and after testing. Genetic counselors are experts who can help you understand your genetic testing results, clarify risks for additional cancers, and support you in the process of sharing your results with relatives and children. Ask your healthcare team for a referral to a genetic counselor or find a genetic counselor through the National Society of Genetic Counselors.
Check Out These Additional Resources:
Medline Plus - Help Me Understand Genetics
OncoLink - Genetic Counseling and Genetic Testing
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