Sept presentation: Dr. ora karp gordon

Dr. Ora Karp Gordon gave our members an incredibly helpful talk on genetics and cancer.

All cancer is genetic- genetic mutations lead to cancer.
There are two types:
Somatic- occurs in a single cell and is NOT passed on to your children
Germline - occurs in gametes, is present in every cell in your body, and leads to hereditary cancers such as the BRCA gene for breast cancer (BRCA is also very indicative for ovarian cancer).
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Genetic testing can help you learn if you carry genes indicative of one or more cancer types. These tests are much more affordable today.

Dr. Gordon recommended the following screenings:
HPV
Mammograms
Colonoscopies
Prostate surveillance
Low dose CT for current or former smokers 
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She also mentioned an exciting new test, the Galleri MCED (multi-cancer early detection) test which can detect a shared cancer signal across 50+ types of cancers. Currently, this test is not covered by insurance.