Midstate Radiology Associates, LLC is the only radiology provider in Connecticut – and one of the first in the nation – to offer on-site telegenetics testing for cancer risk. Our Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment Program, spearheaded by Director of Screening and Preventative Services, Meghan Burgess, helps identify specific cancers in women and men.
About the Program
The program launched over a year ago in our mammography suites, where we identified about 25,000 women and tested nearly 12,000. Using the most comprehensive genetic sequencing available at the only FDA-approved lab, our radiologists look at 28 genes to test the most common types of hereditary cancer:
- Breast
- Ovarian
- Colon
- Uterine
- Pancreatic
- Prostate
Of the 12,000 tested women, we discovered 70 mutation-positive individuals. In these cases, we help manage the risk and coordinate care for our valued patients.
Our Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment Program can benefit the whole family. While it typically starts with a woman having her annual mammogram, screenings can extend to children, siblings and even husbands who may be at higher risk for certain cancers.
We’re certainly saving lives. Once we identify women and their families at higher risk for these cancers, there are things
we can do in order to lower their risks or prevent these cancers from actually happening.– Meghan Burgess, APRN MSN, NP-C, AOCNP
Our process of identifying high-risk patients goes beyond a simple genetic test. We offer pre-counseling with a genetic counselor and post-counseling to explain the impact of those results. Many patients already know they’re at high risk, so these discussions can decrease anxiety. These patients now have steps take to prevent that cancer from occurring, which is hugely beneficial for families.
