23 & Dermatology
Should I get home genetic testing for skin disease?
First, let me admit that I based this post on what I read in a recent article by Emily Margosian in Dermatology World. Over 12 million people in the US have done an at-home genetic test. This article reviewed the benefits of dermatology patients.
Two major companies offer screening related to the skin – Home DNA and 23 and Me. Home DNA offers a skincare option that does not impress me. 23 and Me screens for nine genetic diseases.
Are at-home genetic tests as good as those ordered by doctors? Generally, no. They are not as sensitive and specific and may not cover all known mutations of a disease. They are often much less expensive than doctor-ordered testing, but they are not covered by insurance.
What skin-related conditions can be detected using at home testing? A predisposition for Hair loss, Psoriasis, Keloids, Celiac disease, melanoma, and sensitivity to dermatological medications can be sometimes detected.
Will I be able to understand the results of my testing? Genetics is a very complex subject, so any genetic testing is best reviewed with a geneticist to avoid making extreme medical decisions based on inaccurate information.
What kind of genetic testing do dermatologists offer? In the dermatology office, we most often recommend genetic testing on the actual cancer specimen for those with Stage 1 Melanoma. This genetic testing of the melanoma tumor helps to predict the course of the patient’s disease: more aggressive or less aggressive. To learn more about these genetic tests, see my prior post. “New genetic testing for Melanoma.”
Cancer runs in my family; should I be worried? Over 90% of skin cancers, Basal cell carcinoma, and Squamous cell carcinoma have no known genetic connection. For melanoma, the most worrisome type of skin cancer, we sometimes recommend genetic testing for those with multiple melanomas, multiple family members with melanoma, or those with melanoma and multiple other cancers, especially pancreatic cancer. Dr. Rosenberger usually refers patients to WVU for genetic testing in these cases.
So the long and short of it is if you are interested in genetics and genealogy and want to do genetic testing for that reason, have fun! Otherwise, it is not something that I recommend all my patients do because it can be quite expensive. On the flip side, I did have one patient who found out that she had a genetic disease called hemochromatosis that she had no clue she had just by taking the “23 and me” test.
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