GENETIC JOURNAL
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Do I Need Genetic Counseling and Testing for Melanoma?
The majority of melanomas are a combination of environmental and sporadic factors. However, approximately 10% of all melanomas are inherited. Could the melanoma in my family be hereditary? These factors increase the likelihood that melanoma is hereditary: Some family...
What’s Autism Got To Do With It?
What does autism have to do with hereditary cancer? In most cases, nothing. But in honor of Autism Awareness Month, we want to highlight the connection between having a mutation (also known as a pathogenic variant) in a gene called PTEN and an increased likelihood of...
Is Cancer Contagious?
We've come a long way in cancer awareness over the past half century. Most of us now know that cancer is not contagious, right? Correct. But, in fact, you can acquire a common virus, the Human Papilloma Virus, which increases your chance to develop certain cancers....
National Donor Day and Valentine’s Day Collide on February 14
February 2021 Update In light of National Donor Day, we checked in on My Gene Counsel's Meagan Farmer, her husband Brantley, and their brother-in-law, Greg. You can read their original interview down below, which tells the story of Brantley's kidney donation to Greg,...
A Valentine for You from Cardiovascular Genetic Counselors
Here is what three of the top cardiovascular genetic counselors would like you to know about inherited cardiovascular disease: Brittney Murray, MS, CGCCardiovascular Genetic Counselor at Johns Hopkins University Sudden cardiac death can be the first symptom in...
National Cancer Prevention Day: What Can You Do To Dial Down Your Cancer Risks?
The things you do every day CAN make a difference when it comes to cancer prevention. It all comes down to making healthy choices and avoiding things that are known to cause cancer. Consider these tips to reduce your risk: 1. Screen Certain health screening tests can...
Beyond BRCA: Cowden Syndrome (PTEN)
This is part of a series of articles written to highlight rare hereditary cancer syndromes. In this interview, Heather shares her story of living with Cowden syndrome. Genetic Counseling Note: People who have a mutation (also known as a pathogenic variant) in the PTEN...
Spina Bifida Risk Reduction Starts Before Pregnancy
Spina bifida means "split" or "open" spine in Latin. It is a birth defect in which a fetus's spine does not form correctly during pregnancy. The spinal cord normally 'zips' closed early in pregnancy. If it fails to close anywhere along the spinal cord, the cord and...
Would You Vaccinate Your Children for HPV? A Pediatrician’s Candid Response
I'm Joseph Nimeh, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical. I'm a pediatrician, but I have absolutely no affiliation with any drug company and certainly not with one that is marketing this vaccine. Nor do I have any other financial or other...