What Genetic Tests Really Say About Your Cancer Risk

How to pick the best at-home DNA test for you — and what to do with the answers you get about your health.

By Jeanne Erdmann
Oct 24, 2020 2:00 PMOct 26, 2020 5:19 PM
young woman swabbing mouth dna - shutterstock
(Credit: B-D-S Piotr Marcinski/Shutterstock)

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Unearthing those delightful Neanderthals populating your family tree was so much fun, but now you might be ready to move on to the next step of at-home genetic testing. Maybe you’re curious about what your DNA says about your cancer risk.

You’re in good company. The at-home genetic testing market for health conditions is soaring, and the kits are more affordable than ever. The process is as simple as making a few clicks on a website, entering your credit card number, mailing your tube full of spit, and watching for the results email.

That’s the easy part. Using at-home genetic testing for health risk brings a different type of journey than discovering ancestry. But prepare yourself to collect answers you may not be ready to hear.

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