In today’s world, genetic testing has become increasingly accessible for more people, creating an increased opportunity for doctors to improve their patients' health. Dr. Melissa Frey, a gynecologic oncologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, is championing an approach known as “cascade genetic testing” to not only learn more about her patient’s cancer risk but to then be able to alert family members of their risk too. As a part of the Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine, she and her team ensure end-to-end care for all patients, including testing, counseling and coordination that helps a patient manage the multiple risks and conditions that they may face in an integrated effort.
Dr. Melissa Frey, a gynecologic oncologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, has a genuine passion for the power of genetic testing because she knows that it can completely change the direction of her patient’s lives for the better. As a leader in the field, she helped launch a unique screening program with multi-disciplinary expertise and counseling, the Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. The center not only helps patients gain access to genetic testing to assess their risk of cancers but it also uses cascade testing to contact their relatives and help them get genetic testing too. In doing so, the center is working to identify more people whose lives haven't yet been affected by cancer and help them take preventive action based on their risk. In many cases this can mean avoiding a life threatening illness.
