Get genetic screening for Lynch syndrome at no cost with myGenetics

Around 1 in 3 people who develop colorectal cancer have at least one other family member who has had it, according to the American Cancer Society . While shared environmental or lifestyle factors may play a role for some, others may also have a genetic risk of colon cancer, which is most commonly Lynch syndrome.

A family history of colon cancer doesn’t mean that you’ll get it, but it does make genetic screening helpful for assessing your risk. HealthPartners is currently providing no-cost genetic screening through our community health research program, myGenetics. All you need to get started is a HealthPartners online account.

The first 100,000 people who join myGenetics can get screened at no cost for variations in the MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 and EPCAM genes. These genes usually help protect the body against certain cancers, but in cases of Lynch syndrome, one of them doesn’t work properly.

Because of this, people who have the syndrome have a lifetime risk of colorectal cancer between 15% and 61%, as well as an increased risk for several other cancers. Lynch syndrome affects around 1 in 279 people in the United States, and in the majority of cases, the concerning gene variant is inherited from the person’s parents.

In addition to screening for Lynch syndrome, myGenetics can help you understand your genetic risk for breast and ovarian cancers, and an inheritable type of high cholesterol called familial hypercholesterolemia. Plus, you’ll learn about your regional ancestry and personal traits that your genes may influence – such as caffeine sensitivity, sleep patterns, flavor perception and more.

Participation in this voluntary study helps us learn what diseases are affecting our community and what we can do to treat them. We’re currently offering genetic screening at no cost to you, with no health insurance required.

myGenetics is open to anyone 18 years old and older who has not received a stem cell or bone marrow transplant from a donor. All you need is a HealthPartners online account in order to verify your identity.

Once you’re registered for the study, you can choose how you’d like to share your sample. You can either schedule a 15-minute appointment to provide a blood sample at one of our labs near you, or request an at-home kit. If you choose the at-home saliva collection kit, follow the provided instructions for collecting and mailing in your sample.

Once we’ve received your blood or saliva sample, we’ll send it to our research partner Helix to sequence your DNA.

Keeping your health information secure is important to us. We follow federal privacy laws and myGenetics is overseen by an institutional review board.

If your results show that you’re at an increased risk for any of the conditions we screen for, we’ll contact you about scheduling a no-cost genetic counseling follow-up appointment. We’ll walk you through your results and recommend next steps.

The myGenetics community health research study is currently enrolling new participants. This is an opportunity to learn about your personal risk for inherited conditions like Lynch syndrome and others. The information you get will allow you to take more effective steps to look after your health. Plus, you’ll be helping us learn about conditions affecting our community and what we can do to treat them.

It's easy to register. Just sign into your HealthPartners online account or create one to verify your identity.