If you have already had colorectal cancer
| Test Result | Result Meaning | What it means for you | What it means for your family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | You have a mutation known to cause hereditary colorectal cancer. | Medical options are available to reduce your future cancer risk or find cancer early. | Family members who have genetic testing should test for the same mutation you have. |
| Negative | The test did not find a mutation that increases your risk for cancer. | The test did not find a mutation that caused your cancer. Further testing may be available. | Genetic testing in your family members is unlikely to be helpful unless another family member has had colorectal cancer or has a known mutation. |
| Negative genetic test, but abnormal tumor screening | Although the test did not find a mutation, you could still have Lynch syndrome. | Medical options are available to reduce your future cancer risk or find cancer early. | Genetic testing in your family members is unlikely to be helpful unless another family member has had colorectal cancer, or has a known mutation. |
| Variant of Unknown Significance (VUS) | The test found a mutation in one of the genes associated with Lynch syndrome, but whether that specific mutation causes cancer is unknown. | In the future, more information may be available about whether the mutation you have causes cancer. Further testing may be available. | Family members typically should not be tested for a VUS until we learn whether or not it causes cancer. |