Should You Recommend Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing for This Patient? : Grand Rounds Discussion From Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Abstract

In recent years, the number of patients choosing to have direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing without involving their clinicians has increased substantially. For example, the number of subscribers to a commonly used testing site has grown to more than 10 million. These services have been heavily marketed in the United States and often include information about ancestry; genetic traits; and, increasingly, disease risk. In clinical care, genetic testing by a physician is accompanied by both pre- and posttest counseling by a trained genetic counselor. However, there are not enough genetic counselors to meet the needs of all persons contemplating DTC genetic testing. Formal genetic counseling includes preparation of a family pedigree; a discussion about potential benefits, the possibility that some information might be stressful to receive or difficult to understand, and the potential for disclosure of genetic information; and a detailed informed consent process. Some DTC tests for genetic susceptibilities look for only a few known mutations in a particular gene (such as <i>BRCA1</i>); a negative test result does not exclude the possibility of a clinically important mutation. A positive DTC genetic test result that might change clinical management should be followed by a confirmatory test through a genetics laboratory. Here, 2 expert physicians-a general internist and a medical oncologist with genetics experience-discuss an approach to counseling a patient who is considering DTC testing to learn more about his ancestry and his risk for metabolic syndrome.