Patients At Higher Risk For Genetic Cancer To Benefit From Hereditary Risk Assessment Program

TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Approximately 12 percent of women in the US will develop breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. That's more than 30,000 in Tucson alone, 2,500 of whom are estimated to have a genetic risk factor for cancer. In response to this growing concern, The Breast Center at Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson, Ariz. is collaborating with genetic services specialist InformedDNA to provide a hereditary risk assessment and genetic counseling program. Available now to patients of The Breast Center, the program helps identify those at higher risk for cancer – before diagnosis – and helps patients make informed decisions about their medical care.

Genetic risk assessments are usually done after a patient has been diagnosed with cancer, which can be too late. The Breast Center at St. Mary's is providing risk assessments before diagnosis, offering them to all patients who receive a screening mammogram. Patients do not pay more for the risk assessment at The Breast Center, whether the patient is insured (the co-pay does not increase) or uninsured and paying out of pocket.

"The gold standard of care for a person at high risk for cancer is having genetics experts on an integrated care team, especially if he or she is considering genetic testing," says David Nixon, CEO at InformedDNA.  "InformedDNA's national network of genetics specialists delivers services via phone and online, making it easier and faster for facilities like The Breast Center at Carondelet St. Mary's to provide the best care possible."

"InformedDNA's Hereditary Risk Assessment Program is a powerful tool that allows us to identify and help high-risk patients," says Gerlinde Tynan, MD, breast surgeon and medical director of The Breast Center at Carondelet St. Mary's and the Breast Health Program at Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital. "Most breast programs only will offer genetic risk screening after a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. We want to identify patients who may be at higher risk before they develop cancer. Knowing the risk empowers patients to take steps that may help them avoid cancer altogether. We're really excited about this program. It's a great example of Carondelet's commitment to providing the safest and best care possible."

Carondelet Health Network is a Catholic, nonprofit healthcare system based in Tucson, Ariz. that belongs to Ascension, the nation's largest Catholic, not-for-profit healthcare system. With more than 4,000 employees, Carondelet serves people living in Southern Arizona through an extensive family of services, including three hospitals, primary and specialty physician practices, The Breast Center at St. Mary's, Carondelet Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital, Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute at St. Mary's Hospital, an ambulatory surgery center, imaging centers, hospice and palliative care, and a variety of other outpatient services.

InformedDNA is the largest independent US genetic services provider network. In addition to direct patient care in most major genetics specialties and sub-specialties, InformedDNA works with employers, health plans, physicians as well as cancer centers, hospitals and mammography centers seeking to better understand genomic health and its implications for their organizations and the health care system overall.

Media Contacts
Casey DeFreitas
Marketing Assistant, InformedDNA
(909) 385-4703
[email protected]

Echo Surina
Sr. Manager, Communications, Carondelet
(520) 872-7060
[email protected]

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SOURCE InformedDNA