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The mission of CDC's Public Health Genomics is to integrate advances in human genetics into public health research, policy, and programs

Knowing your cancer risk and being proactive about your health may help you take steps to lower your risk for getting breast or ovarian cancer, or find it at an early stage.

Tell your doctor if you have a family health history of heart disease.

Has your mother or sister had breast cancer? Does your mother, father, sister, or brother have diabetes? Did your mother, father, brother, or sister have colorectal (colon) cancer before age 50? If you answered “yes,” you are more likely to get the same disease as your parent or sibling and should consider earlier screening. Talk to your doctor about when to start screening and what other steps to take to prevent the disease or find it early. Finding disease early can often mean better health in the long run.

This public service announcement addresses common excuses and misconceptions that lead people to delay or avoid getting screened for colorectal cancer.

State health departments in Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, and Utah explored the use of genomic information, including family health history, in chronic disease prevention programs. To support these explorations, the Office of Public Health Genomics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided cooperative agreement funds from 2003 through 2008. The 4 states’ chronic disease programs identified advocates, formed partnerships, and assessed public data; they integrated genomics into existing state plans for genetics and chronic disease prevention; they developed projects focused on prevention of asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions; and they created educational curricula and materials for health workers, policymakers, and the public. Each state’s program was different because of the need to adapt to existing culture, infrastructure, and resources, yet all were able to enhance their chronic disease prevention programs with the use of family health history, a low-tech “genomic tool.” Additional states are drawing on the experience of these 4 states to develop their own approaches.

Research has found several risk factors that may increase your chances of getting lung cancer.

Research has found risk factors that increase your chances of getting prostate cancer.

Your risk of getting colorectal cancer increases as you get older.

The mission of the CDC's Office of Public Health Genomics is to integrate advances in human genetics into public health research, policy, and programs