Genetic Counseling

I went to a genetic counselor two weeks back. It's in my best interest to learn if this cancer is the result of a genetic mutation. They say that 30% of colon cancer IS. (which means that 70% isn't.) (I just did that calculation in my head, easy.)

The points of knowing are these:
1- If i have a genetic mutation, it could mean I am also in the crosshairs for other types of cancers. So I'd need to be screened extremely proactively for those. Like every year, or more often.
2- If I have a genetic mutation, it could mean my sis and bro, my kids!, heck, even my parents, could be in trouble, too. So they need to know.

The doctor said it was possible I might have a mutation called "Lynch Syndrome", which effectively means that there is a protein missing in me that is designed to get rid of bad cells before they multiply. It would also mean I was at a hugely increased risk for ovarian, uterine and bladder cancer. SIGN ME UP.

To test for it, they first took my tumor out of cold storage. Yes, they keep tumors in the deep freezer! Just for situations like these. I would like to get my hands on it so I could beat the snot out of that stinking clump of cells. (Can't you see me, holding the tumor away from me after I'd punched it left and right, finally throwing it back down on the lab table, sputtering "YOU'RE NOT WORTH IT.") Anyway, they did some preliminary screening work on the tumor prior to doing the full blood work-up, because the test for Lynch costs $3000!!! So if they could rule out Lynch, they could save me the $$ for the test. (and someday, Betty can have braces after all!)

Anyway, I got the results today. I do NOT have Lynch syndrome. So that's good. I could have some other mutation, but they highly doubt I have anything that they are able to screen for.

So I guess that means I can't blame ma or pa for this. It was my own damn colon's fault.