In many clinical situations where there is a significant risk of a genetic condition, certain red flags will alert you as a professional to look further.
For example, when a patient asks about a family history of cancer, significant history would include:
- relatives who were affected by cancer at a younger age than you would expect
- relatives with cancers that could be part of a cancer syndrome (such as breast and ovarian cancer, or colon and endometrial cancer)
- multiple primaries in the same person
- unusual cancers, such as breast cancer in a male.
In each of our modules, we will cover ‘red flag’ situations to help you identify patients at risk.