Cancer Genetics Program

It is important to identify families with a hereditary susceptibility to cancer because in many cases, they may take steps to reduce their risk or prevent cancer from occurring. Beaumont Health System's Cancer Genetics Program provides patients with the most up-to-date information about hereditary cancer risk and guidelines for cancer screening and treatment.

When you visit Beaumont for your genetic counseling appointment, you'll receive: 

• detailed family history evaluations
• risk assessment
• genetic education
• genetic testing
• counseling services
• information about cancer risk reduction and prevention strategies

These strategies have clearly been shown to lead to earlier detection of cancer, better treatment, and improved outcomes.

About 5-10 percent of cancers may be hereditary, or due to a damaged (or mutant) gene that is passed down from parent to child.  Certain aspects of one's family history may be indicative of an inherited cancer predisposition.  Identifying these aspects allows us to assess an individual's risk of having a cancer predisposition mutation.  This is a very important first step toward implementing vital screening and risk reducing strategies.

The Beaumont Cancer Genetics Program is a multidisciplinary team comprised of

• an oncologist/Program Director
• an attending physician
• four Masters-trained cancer genetic counselors
• two secretaries
• supportive care nurses
• data entry personnel for our cancer genetics registry

We work closely with physicians involved in the treatment and care of our patients; these include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiologists, primary care physicians, gynecologists, gastroenterologists, radiation oncologists and other health care providers.