[Importance of genetic counseling and molecular diagnosis testing in families at high risk for cancer].
Individuals with a family history of certain cancer types are at higher risk to develop a malignancy during their lifetime. The availability of the family history is a basic component for genetic counseling of these patients to determine illnesses that may affect other family members. The family history can help us to identify some inheritance patterns of cancer transmission among families. Nowadays it is possible to identify by clinical and molecular testing many of these familial cancer syndromes. The objective of this review is to provide a basis to the physician who the patient contacts first, in order to recognize the possibility of illnesses with a genetic transmission. This will allow the treating physician to refer the patient to a genetic specialist for possible molecular diagnosis of the illness.
Ochoa-Carrillo
Francisco J
FJ
Subdirección de Cirugía, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología. gpooncol@prodigy.net.mx
Millán
Silvia Vidal
SV
D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000592:standards*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors