High Risk & Cancer Genetics

Erlanger East Hospital
1635 Gunbarrel Road
Building C, Suite 300
Chattanooga, TN 37421

Improving Cancer Treatment and Screening

The Erlanger High Risk & Cancer Genetics Program identifies and manages individuals with genetic predispositions to developing cancer, including those with an increased risk due to ancestry, family history or personal risk factors. We provide a range of diagnostic and support services including:

Cancer Risk Assessment Counseling
Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment
Genetic Testing

Cancer is a common disease with complex causes, many of which are not completely understood. Advances in cancer genetics have led to the identification of genes that, when altered, cause a significantly increased risk for certain cancers. Although most cases of cancer are not due to single, inherited gene alterations, approximately 5-10% of cancers are hereditary.

What to Expect

An Overview from Our Navigators

Learn how our team evaluates genetic susceptibility to cancer using the GIA app and health history. We also discuss when to pursue genetic testing and our approach to long-term follow-up.

Have you been screened for future cancer risk?

The CARE (Comprehensive Assessment Risk and Education) Program™ offered in partnership with Ambry Genetics is a platform designed to help determine whether you are at increased risk for cancer. If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, a Cancer Risk Assessment might be helpful:

Take a Risk Assessment

Have you or a family member been diagnosed with cancer at a young age (<50 years old)?
Have three or more people on the same side of the family had cancer?
Have you or a family member been diagnosed with more than one kind of cancer?
Has anyone in your family been found to have a cancer gene mutation?
Have you or a family member been diagnosed with cancers that are usually rare, like ovarian, pancreatic, or male breast cancer?
Have you or a family member had 10 or more colon polyps?
Are you of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry?

Tailored treatment for patients with cancer

Genetic test results can potentially affect a patient’s surgical management and other treatment options. For example, a woman with newly diagnosed breast cancer who is a candidate for genetic testing may learn from her genetic test results that she is at an increased risk for a second breast cancer. This may help determine what kind of surgery is most appropriate for her current diagnosis, in order to minimize future risk.

Better screening for those with a family history of cancer

Genetic test results showing an increased risk for certain cancers could lead to changes in a person’s cancer screening regimen. This may include performing certain screening tests more frequently and beginning at an earlier age. For example, if a person is known to have an alteration in a gene that puts them at a higher chance of colon cancer, it may be recommended that they have colonoscopies every year or two starting in young adulthood. In some cases, there may be medication or surgical options to lower the risk of cancer.