All North Alabama Residents can learn their cancer risk

Cancer touches the lives of far too many. It is estimated that 30,210 Alabama men and women will be diagnosed with cancer, and 10,520 will die in 2022. The simple saliva test, offered by Kailos Genetics, screens for the well-known BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes which increase breast and ovarian cancer risk, as well as several dozen other genes linked to breast, ovarian, colon, prostate, pancreatic, and other cancers.

In 2022, we surpassed 6,000 Information is Power participants. Today the Information is Power test remains for FREE to those 28-30 years of age in Madison, Limestone, Jackson, Marshall, or Morgan Counties. In 2023, we will welcome Dr. Mary-Claire King, the scientist who discovered the BRCA1 gene, back to Huntsville to celebrate our success to date. Thanks to the support of our sponsors, this program continues to offer members of our community an opportunity to learn about cancer risk.

The Information is Power cancer-screening test is offered at a reduced rate of $129 for those 19 and older and is still FREE for those 28, 29, and 30 years of age in the 5 Alabama counties. There is also an option to gift a test to someone you love in most states.

What you learn can have an impact on your life and the lives of your family members.

Genetic Testing for Cancer Risk in Alabama

Learn your risk for cancer by taking our noninvasive test. The test is a simple cheek swab and the results come back in a matter of weeks. Developed by Kailos Genetics, the test looks at more than thirty genetic changes linked to breast and ovarian cancer risk, as well as colorectal and prostate cancer.

Although changes in these genes are rare, it is important to identify them because healthcare providers can use this information to alter a patient’s care including screening requirements which can help prevent cancer or identify cancer at an earlier stage.

Who is a candidate?

Any consenting adult (person 19 years old or older) is eligible to learn about their hereditary cancer risk. Our funding and initiatives offering free testing rotate. If you are interested in your eligibility or access to a test, please contact us: informationispower@hudsonalpha.org.

What will the genetic screening NOT tell me?

This genetic screening does not diagnose cancer nor does it replace other types of screening such as mammograms. It also does not tell whether an individual definitely will or will not develop cancer in the future, as the presence of a risk factor does not increase cancer risk to 100%. Likewise, the absence of risk factors identified through this screening does not reduce cancer risk.

What happens if I receive a positive result?

A positive result from this genetic screening indicates that a change is present in a gene that increases your risk for certain types of cancer. It does not mean that you have cancer. The specific cancer types and risk level depend on which gene has a change present. If you have a positive test result, you will receive a phone call from a HudsonAlpha genetic counselor to further explain your result and your recommended next steps, which include seeking an appointment with a clinical genetic counselor that specializes in cancer genetics. A negative result from this genetic screening indicates that no risk-increasing changes were identified in the genes tested. This does not guarantee that you will never develop cancer. It is important to consider that even in the absence of obvious genetic risk factors, each person in the general population is at a baseline risk of developing cancer.