More Healthy Patients are Taking Genetic Test Results to their Docs

Genetic testing can provide crucial information about what's causing a patient's problems and what lies ahead.

But for healthy patients? It's a lot tricker.

With the growing popularity of consumer genetic tests, patients are increasingly asking their doctors about whether a test could predict their vulnerability to certain conditions, such as cancer, dementia and heart disease. A case study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine by researchers at Columbia University warns that doctors and patients alike should proceed carefully in understanding the context in which these tests provide useful information.