Cancer Center

Uses of Genetic Testing

What are the uses of genetic testing that may be important for me to know?

diagnostic testing
Diagnostic testing is used to identify or confirm the diagnosis of a disease or condition in a person or a family. Diagnostic testing gives a "yes" or "no" answer in most cases. It is sometimes helpful in determining the course of a disease and the choice of treatment. Examples of diagnostic testing include chromosome studies, direct DNA studies, biochemical genetic testing, and protein truncation testing.

predictive genetic testing
Predictive genetic testing determines the chances that a healthy individual with or without a family history of a certain disease might develop that disease. There is predictive testing available for some adult-onset conditions (those diseases with symptoms that develop in adulthood) such as some types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and some single gene disorders.

presymptomatic genetic testing
Presymptomatic genetic testing is used to determine whether a person who has a family history of a disease, but no current symptoms, has the gene alteration associated with risk of disease.

carrier testing
Carrier testing is performed to determine whether a person carries one copy of an altered gene for a particular disease.

prenatal diagnosis
Prenatal diagnosis is used to diagnose a genetic disease or condition in the developing fetus.

preimplantation studies
Preimplantation studies are used following in vitro fertilization to diagnose a genetic disease or condition in an embryo before it is implanted into the mother''s uterus.

newborn screening
Newborn screening is performed in newborns in state public health programs to detect certain genetic diseases for which early diagnosis and treatment are available.

Rush Inherited Susceptibility to Cancer Program

The Rush Inherited Susceptibility to Cancer (RISC) Program counsels people on their personal and family risks for developing cancer, and provides information on prevention and early detection.

Click here for more information on the Rush Inherited Susceptibility to Cancer Program.

Other Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Programs at
Rush University Medical Center in Chicago

Also at Rush, we offer a range of standard and investigational therapies for the treatment of cancer. We have more than a dozen programs specializing in the treatment of specific cancers, including:

Bone Cancer
Brain Cancer
Breast Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
Gynecological Cancers
Head and Neck Cancers
Hematological Malignancies
(cancers of the blood and lymph system)
Leukemia
Lung Cancer
Lymphoma
Myeloma
Orthopedic Cancers
Prostate Cancer
Radiation Oncology
Skin Cancers

Rush cancer programs are approved by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. Only one in four hospitals that treat cancer receive this special approval.

Click here to visit the home page for Cancer Programs at Rush.

Cancer Screening and Prevention
Cancer screening and prevention are priorities at Rush. Through genetic testing, counseling and advanced techniques for early detection, Rush helps people with a strong history of breast, ovarian, colon and other cancers. And in our state-of-the-art mammography center, we have one of the city’s finest teams of radiologists dedicated to early detection of breast cancer.

Cancer Support Programs at Rush
Cancer is not only a physical ordeal, it is also an emotional one, affecting cancer patients, their family and friends. To help address the whole person, we offer a number of resources to help patients and their loved ones cope in this difficult time.

For information on the cancer support programs at Rush click here.

Clinical Trials
Rush offers a number of clinical trials of experimental cancer treatments. Use the links below to search for studies for a particular form of cancer. If you are interested in exploring your eligibility for one of our open trials, please call (312) 942-8312. If we do not list trials for a particular type of cancer, please feel free to call us to discuss other treatment options.

For information on cancer clinical trial programs at Rush click here.

Find a Specialist at Rush
To find a cancer specialist at Rush, click on one of the following links:

To find specialist at Rush in other cancer-related areas, click on one of the following links:

Or make an appointment with a doctor at Rush by calling our toll-free physician referral number:

(888) 352-RUSH.

To reach the hospital operator, call (312) 942-5000. If you have difficulty hearing, call (312) 942-2207 (TTY/TTD).