Cancer is a common disease that affects the ability to perform day-to-day activities. There are many different types of cancer, and there is no single cure for all of them. However, there are many treatments and tests to help detect if a person has cancer and what type they have. The most prevalent cancer types are prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, melanoma of the skin, colorectal cancer, and cervical cancer.

To test for these various cancers, DNA testing or genetic testing can help detect and/or diagnose cancer by analyzing a person’s DNA. Here are the most common DNA and genetic tests:

1. Germline Testing
Germline genetic tests are genetic tests that look at an individual’s DNA that can be passed on to their offspring. This type of DNA testing is essential in cancer because it allows knowing what other family members may have. This type of test is used in three different types of cancers: colorectal, breast, and ovarian.

2. Somatic mutation testing
Somatic mutation testing looks at somatic mutations caused by a particular cancer cell or stem cell that has been passed on from one generation to the next. These mutations occur in the DNA of normal cells that grow and divide. They are used to predict if a person will get certain cancer types later in life. These somatic mutations are found in breast cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and lung cancer. This type of testing is crucial because it helps with the ability to determine if a person has a family history of some sort of genetic mutation.

3. Molecular tests
These tests are used for cancer patients in the early stages of treatment. These are used to test for specific genetic markers that have been found in different types of cancers. These tests help predict if a person will have an excellent response to particular treatments and medications.

4. Chromosomal tests
These tests look at an individual’s DNA to determine if there is a genetic change from one individual to another. Mutations in the DNA cause these changes. These tests are mainly used for colorectal and melanoma cancers but can also be used for lung cancer patients.

5. Gene expression tests
These tests are used to examine the expression of specific genes in cancer tissues. These genes perform many different biological functions and are controlled by the proteins in DNA. These tests are used to determine if a person has a particular type of cancer and how likely they are to survive cancer.

6. Newborn screening
Through newborn screening, it can be determined if a child has or is at risk of having a particular genetic disorder. These disorders include phenylketonuria, galactosemia, neurofibromatosis type 1, and sickle cell anemia. This test is essential because it allows for identifying and treating diseases before they worsen.

DNA and genetic testing is used to determine if a patient is at increased risk for a certain cancer or has a specific mutation in the genes that causes breast, colorectal or ovarian cancer. Gene testing helps reduce risk for cancer through your family or hereditary, for specific cancer types, such as nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Several gene tests are available to help detect these increased levels of risk. Genetic testing is also used to get a more accurate diagnosis of certain cancers and help choose suitable treatment options.