Pallister Genetics

10/07/2026

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month — and if you’ve done an at-home DNA kit, here’s one thing worth knowing: the BRCA report most kits give you checks only 44 selected variants out of the thousands of known BRCA1/BRCA2 variants. By 23andMe’s own labeling, those variants don’t represent the majority of BRCA variants in people of most ethnicities (they cover roughly a third of cancer-related BRCA variants in people of African American, European, or Hispanic/Latino descent, and fewer in people of East Asian descent).
That means a negative result doesn’t rule out a hereditary cancer risk — most of the BRCA changes that raise risk in the general population wouldn’t be caught by the kit. The FDA itself cautions that these results shouldn’t guide medical decisions, and that results should be confirmed with clinical testing and genetic counseling before acting on them.

And BRCA1 and BRCA2 aren’t the whole story. Other genes — like PALB2, CHEK2, ATM, and TP53 — also raise breast cancer risk, and at-home kits don’t look at any of them. Clinical genetic testing reads the full BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (plus dozens of other cancer-risk genes), checks for larger missing or duplicated pieces, and — the part a kit can’t do — a genetic counselor explains what your results actually mean for you and your relatives.

If your family history raised questions the kit didn’t answer, let’s talk.

Link in bio — telehealth appointments available.

10/02/2026

One day left!!! Don’t forget to tag 3 friends or family member below the post to enter

In honor of Hereditary Cancer Week, Pallister Genetics is giving away a **free hereditary cancer consultation**.

Some cancers run in families — and knowing your risk early can change everything. This is a relaxed, no-pressure conversation where we’ll talk through your personal and family history, and whether genetic testing could be helpful for you.

**To enter:**
1. Follow
2. Like this post
3. Tag 3 friends or family members

**Bonus entry:** comment what you’d like to learn about genetics — your question might become a future post!

Winner announced Sunday, Oct 4. Winner has 48 hours to claim before we draw again. The consultation is virtual, so you can join from anywhere.

Know someone carrying that “does cancer run in our family?” question? Tag them below. 💛

10/02/2026

Your family history is a free genetic screening tool — if you know what to look for.

Red flags that a hereditary cancer risk could be running in your family:

🔴 Cancer diagnosed unusually young (often under 50)
🔴 The same person with more than one primary cancer
🔴 Several relatives on the same side of the family with related cancers
🔴 Rare cancers — like ovarian cancer, male breast cancer, or pancreatic cancer
🔴 A known gene change (like BRCA1/2) already identified in the family

You don’t need a perfect family tree. Even partial information helps — and a genetic counselor can work with whatever you know and help you fill in the gaps.

If two or more of these sound like your family, it’s worth a conversation. Early awareness is what turns risk into a plan.

Save this post and share it with the family member who keeps everyone’s health history. Link in bio to book.

09/30/2026

HAPPY PREVIVOR DAY

September 30

To everyone carrying a hereditary risk and choosing action before cancer ever enters the picture — today is yours. 🎗️💜

09/29/2026

You’ve heard of BRCA1 and BRCA2 — but what do they actually do?

They’re often called the “breast cancer genes,” but that’s only part of the story. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes everyone has. Their job is to help repair damaged DNA and keep cells growing normally. When one of them isn’t working properly because of an inherited change, the risk goes up for several cancers — breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, and others.

A BRCA change doesn’t mean cancer is certain. It means the risk is higher — and higher risk means more options: earlier or more frequent screening, risk-reducing strategies, and information your relatives can act on too.

Genetic testing for BRCA1/2 is a simple blood or saliva test. A genetic counselor can help you decide if it’s right for you and make sense of the results.

Questions about BRCA? Drop them below or book a consult — link in bio.

09/28/2026

In honor of Hereditary Cancer Week, Pallister Genetics is giving away a **free hereditary cancer consultation**.

Some cancers run in families — and knowing your risk early can change everything. This is a relaxed, no-pressure conversation where we’ll talk through your personal and family history, and whether genetic testing could be helpful for you.

**To enter:**
1. Follow
2. Like this post
3. Tag 3 friends or family members

**Bonus entry:** comment what you’d like to learn about genetics — your question might become a future post!

Winner announced Sunday, Oct 4. Winner has 48 hours to claim before we draw again. The consultation is virtual, so you can join from anywhere.

Know someone carrying that “does cancer run in our family?” question? Tag them below. 💛

09/28/2026

It’s Hereditary Cancer Week — seven days dedicated to something most families never talk about until it’s too late: the cancers that can run in families.

Most cancers are sporadic, meaning they happen by chance. But about 5–10% are hereditary — caused by a gene change passed down through generations. Knowing the difference can change screening, prevention, and treatment for a whole family.

This week I’ll be breaking it down in plain English: the genes that matter, the family-history red flags, what genetic testing actually involves, and what your results can and can’t tell you.

Follow along — and if something this week sounds like your family, let’s talk. Link in bio to book a consult.

09/28/2026

Support group info for families with genetic FTD! Please share

09/23/2026

When life gets stressful, what’s your go-to coping strategy? 👀

Do you immediately start researching?

Do you make a color-coded plan?

Do you need to talk about all the feelings?

Do you avoid thinking about it until you absolutely have to?

Or do you make a joke because otherwise you might cry? 😂

These are examples of different coping patterns — ways our brains and bodies try to manage stress, uncertainty, and difficult emotions.

And none of them are inherently “bad.”

In fact, the same coping strategy can be helpful in one situation and less helpful in another. Researching can help you feel informed. Taking action can help you regain a sense of control. Avoidance can give you a much-needed break. Humor can make an overwhelming moment feel lighter.

Knowing your own coping style can also help you communicate what you need when you’re navigating healthcare. Your healthcare providers and genetic counselor can better support you when they understand how you process information, uncertainty, and difficult news — and you can work together to find an approach that feels manageable for you.

As a classic genetic counselor, I have to admit… I’m definitely an intellectualizer. 😂 Give me the data, the differential diagnosis, the research paper, and preferably a spreadsheet.

But knowing that about myself also reminds me that information isn’t always what everyone needs first. Sometimes people need space to feel, reassurance, time to process, or simply to know what the next step is.

So… which one are you?

📚 Intellectualizer
💪 Action-Taker
❤️ Feeler
😶 Avoider
😂 Humorist

Tell us in the comments — and tag the person who is 100% the “I need to know EVERYTHING” friend. 😂

These are informal coping patterns, not clinical personality types or diagnoses.

09/22/2026

Thank you Alix Earle & family for sharing. Stories like yours can remind people to take a closer look at their family history, ask questions, and consider whether genetic counseling or testing may be appropriate for them.

You never know who might hear your story and realize, “Maybe this could be me, too.”

After their mother, Alisa, was diagnosed with breast cancer and tested positive for a BRCA2 mutation, Alix and her sister, Ashtin, got tested too. Now the family opens up about genetic testing, prevention, and fertility.