Can I do genetic testing at home?
You can run some genetic testing from the comfort of your home. With a sample of your cheek cells or saliva [3], you determine your breast cancer risk. All you have to do is send the samples to the lab via mail to be tested. However, experts recommend getting genetic testing from a healthcare professional rather than running an at-home test. This is because an at-home test at have the following problems:
- An incomplete result: At-home tests usually evaluate all the variants of a gene, including BRCA1 or BRCA2. As a result, a negative result may be misleading.
- Unnecessary alarm: At-home tests may discover common genetic variants that are only responsible for a little increase in breast cancer risk. This means that a positive result may also be misleading.
- Genetic counseling: When you undergo genetic testing through a healthcare professional, you’ll also need access to genetic counseling both before and after you get the results of your test. This helps you understand your result in association with your total health.
- Privacy: Your privacy may not be guaranteed if you use genetic testing at home. Make sure you check a company’s disclosure policy before using their at-home testing tools.