There are three ways to find information in this Guide:

• You can read articles.
  Our "Learn The Basics" section contains introductory information about genetics and genetic testing.
• You can view videos.
  Our "Case Studies" present hypothetical people trying to decide whether to have a genetic test.
• You can interact.
  Our "Decision Guide" walks you through the issues involved in the genetic test for breast and ovarian cancers.

Genetic testing isn't for everyone. First, you must be at risk for an inherited disease for a genetic test to be useful for you. This means there must be some history of a disease in your family — because genetic tests can only look for diseases that are passed from one generation to the next. If no one in your family has ever had breast cancer, for example, then you are probably not a good candidate for the genetic test that detects inherited breast cancer. Or you might be from an ethnic group that is more likely to make you a carrier for a certain genetic change. For example, people with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestors are more likely to be carriers for certain conditions – like Tay-Sachs Disease – even if nobody in the family ever had that disease.

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