Invitae® Multi-Cancer Panel

Develop a Personalized Plan for your Patient:

Knowing your patient has a mutation in one of the 70 genes analyzed – including BRCA1 and BRCA2 – enables you to develop a personalized plan for your patient designed to prevent or detect hereditary cancer at an earlier or more treatable stage. It may also allow for access to treatment options which require proof of positive genetic test results.

Detecting cancer early improves the odds of survival

28% of patients with disease-causing (pathogenic) variants found in the highest-risk cancer genes had changes to medical management.^[1] In the JAMA Oncology study, 1 in 4 patients with a high-risk positive genetic result received genetics-based personalized cancer care. ^[1] The 5-year survival rates for cancers covered by the Hereditary Cancer Screening increase dramatically when they are caught at an earlier and more treatable stage.^[5]

1 in 8 cancer patients may have an inherited gene variant^[1]

Hereditary cancer is caused by an inherited genetic mutation. It is typical to see a recurring pattern of cancer across two to three generations—like multiple individuals diagnosed with the same type of cancer(s) and individuals diagnosed with cancer much younger than average. Everyone has a risk of carrying a mutation, regardless of family history, however the risk increases with the number of cases of cancer in a family.

Familial cancer refers to cancer that appears to occur more frequently in families than is expected from chance alone. While no specific mutation has been linked to these cancers, familial cancer may have a hereditary component that has not yet been identified.

Sporadic cancer refers to cancer that occurs due to spontaneous mutations that accumulate over a person’s life. Sporadic cancer cannot be explained by a single cause. There are several factors, such as aging, lifestyle, or environmental exposure, that may contribute to the development of sporadic cancer.

A JAMA Oncology study found that hereditary cancer genetic testing for all patients with cancer—including colorectal, breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic—uncovered disease-causing (pathogenic) inherited variants in 13.3% of patients.^[1]

Without hereditary cancer genetic testing, a crucial part of their cancer puzzle may be missing. Patients who harbor hereditary variants could benefit from tailored management, including colorectal (~15%), breast (~12%), ovarian (~20%), prostate (~13%), and pancreatic (~15%) cancer.^[1]

A mutation can greatly increase one’s risk for developing cancer.

Mutations in the genes covered are not common, but when present they significantly increase the chances of cancer.

For example, a BRCA1 mutation can increase a woman’s chance of breast cancer up to 81% by age 80.^[2] An APC gene mutation can increase a man or woman's chances of colorectal cancer up to 70-100% by age 80 without surgical intervention.^[3],[4]

1. Create Account

   To order the Invitae® Multi-Cancer Panel for your patients online, go to invitae.com/signup and create an account. If you prefer to order on a requisition, download paper requisition forms at invitae.com/forms.

2. Order Kit

   Patient can receive a kit at home or the sample can be collected at your office. For home collection, choose the option to ship a saliva collection kit directly to your patient’s home. If you would like to collect your patient’s sample in your office, you can request a blood or saliva kit online at invitae.com/request-a-kit.

3. Provide Sample

   Collect and ship sample to Invitae® following the instructions in the kit.

4. Access Results

   You’ll receive a notification email from Invitae®. Simply log in to your Invitae® online account to view, save or print your patient’s report.

Negative Results:

Most people receive a negative result. This means no mutations associated with an increased risk for hereditary cancer were identified in any of the 70 genes analyzed.

While this can be reassuring, it does not eliminate a patient’s risks. Environmental and lifestyle factors and family history without a known genetic link account for the majority of cancers.

Positive Results:

A small percentage of people receive a positive result.^[6] This means a mutation that increases your risk for cancer was identified. This result does not mean that the patient has cancer or that they will definitely develop cancer in their lifetime. But it is important to discuss and design a personalized screening and prevention plan. A referral for genetic counselling is recommended for these patients.

Inconclusive Results:

Some people may get an inconclusive result. In some cases, a test result might not give any useful information. This type of result is called uninformative, indeterminate, inconclusive, or ambiguous. Uninformative test results sometimes occur because everyone has common, natural variations in their DNA, called polymorphisms, that do not affect health. If a genetic test finds a change in DNA that has not been confirmed to play a role in the development of disease, known as a variant of uncertain significance (VUS or VOUS), it can be difficult to tell whether it is a natural polymorphism or a disease-causing variant.

Results may affect relatives

A patient’s results could be useful to their relatives, regarding their own chances of developing cancer. Patients can be encouraged to share their results with relatives, as testing may be useful for them as well.