Christy Carlson Romano tested positive on which cancer screening?…
Disney alum Christy Carlson Romano is getting candid about a daunting new health scare.
The “Even Stevens” star revealed in an emotional Instagram video, posted Feb. 17, that she and her husband, Brendan Rooney, not too long ago underwent precautionary cancer screenings because the disease runs in her household.
“My husband’s came back completely negative. Mine did not come back negative,” Romano, 41, tearfully said in the clip. “So basically what that means is I may have stageable cancer.”
Christy Carlson Romano opened up about a positive cancer screening take a look at to encourage her followers to get checked. thechristycarlsonromano/Instagram
The mother of two said she was in “disbelief” over the outcomes — however emphasised that they weren’t an official diagnosis.
Her next step is getting a PET scan. The specialised imaging take a look at makes use of a small quantity of radioactive materials to detect indicators of cancer, coronary heart disease and sure mind issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“Hopefully it’s something easy to treat,” Romano wrote in the video’s caption. “I’m nervous and a bit scared (heck who wouldn’t be!).”
The “Kim Possible” star admitted she hesitated to share the news, worrying she’d come off as “cringe.” But, in the end, she said it was “her duty” to talk out so others would get screened, too.
So what sort of take a look at might Romano have taken — and the way involved ought to somebody be after a positive result?
The “Kim Possible” star revealed that her mom, father and maternal grandmother battled cancer, suggesting she could also be at an elevated threat. Getty Images
The Post reached out to Romano’s reps and spoke with Dr. Elias Obeid, a medical oncologist at Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center in New Jersey, to interrupt all of it down.
What take a look at did Romano doubtless take?
While Romano didn’t reveal the actual screening, one more and more common choice is a multi-cancer detection (MCD) blood take a look at, designed to catch early indicators of cancer before symptoms present up.
These high-tech screenings seek for cancer “signals” circulating in your blood. If one is detected, Obeid said, it suggests a “high probability that cancer is present.”
How do MCD exams work?
It begins with a simple blood draw. From there, the pattern is analyzed for microscopic fragments of genetic materials often known as circulating tumor DNA, or ctDNA.
“DNA is normally found within our cells, but as cells die, they release their DNA into the bloodstream,” Obeid explained.
“The DNA released into the bloodstream from tumors is known as ctDNA, and researchers have shown its presence is strongly associated with active cancer in the body.”
What can MCD exams let you know?
That relies upon on the sort of MCD take a look at you’re taking.
Some variations try to pinpoint the place the cancer sign could also be coming from — such as the lungs or colon — giving docs a beginning point for follow-up scans. But Obeid cautioned that those predictions aren’t always spot-on.
Other exams are more basic. They merely flag that a cancer sign has been detected without figuring out a particular physique half.
Multi-cancer detection (MCD) exams are normally advisable for adults at elevated threat for cancer, particularly those 50 and older. syhin_stas – inventory.adobe.com
What are the limits to MCD testing?
“It is very important to understand that this is a screening test, meaning it cannot diagnose you with cancer,” Obeid careworn.
And because the technology is still comparatively new, it has some limits.
For starters, it doesn’t detect every cancer equally effectively. Some tumors are merely tougher to select up, relying on the place they’re positioned and the way they behave, Obeid said.
Brain tumors, for instance, are significantly tough to detect this means. The blood-brain barrier limits how a lot tumor DNA can enter the bloodstream, making it robust for a blood take a look at to catch it.
Early-stage cancers can also slip via the cracks because they might not shed sufficient DNA to register on the take a look at.
And maybe most important: A “cancer signal detected” result doesn’t always imply somebody truly has cancer.
“Because these tests are incredibly sensitive, about half of all positive results are ‘false positives,’” Obeid said.
“Given these limitations, this testing should not replace your regular cancer screenings, like annual mammograms or colonoscopies,” he continued. “Instead, it should be used as an additional tool in a proactive approach to your health.”
Who ought to contemplate getting an MCD take a look at?
These screening instruments are typically for adults 50 and older.
“This is because the risk of cancer increases with age,” Obeid said. “However, anyone 21 or older can undergo this testing.”
Beyond age, MCD exams are often advisable for people at elevated threat.
“This can include a family history of cancer, certain genetic predispositions like a BRCA mutation in the family, those with environmental exposures like firefighters or other risk factors determined by a healthcare provider,” Obeid said.
On the flip aspect, the exams usually are not advisable for people who’re pregnant, under 21 or not too long ago identified with cancer.
“It’s crucial to have a conversation with a provider who is knowledgeable about MCD to determine if this type of test is a good fit for your individual health profile,” Obeid said.
If you take a look at positive, must you panic?
“It’s completely natural to feel anxious upon receiving a positive result. However, it’s essential to frame this moment not as an endpoint, but as a starting point,” Obeid said. “This information is a catalyst for action.”
If an MCD take a look at comes again positive, your first transfer ought to be to talk with a healthcare supplier who’s accustomed to this distinctive sort of screening.
What occurs next relies upon on the take a look at you took.
If the take a look at doesn’t specify the place the sign could also be coming from, docs often order a broad imaging scan, such as a PET/CT, to verify for any suspicious areas, Obeid said.
If the take a look at does recommend a possible origin, follow-up could contain focused imaging, extra biomarker exams or a referral to a specialist in that particular cancer sort, he explained.
“If follow-up imaging reveals no concerns, a retest may be an option to help determine if the initial result was a false positive,” Obeid said.
For now, Romano is ready for her PET scan — and hoping for good news.
“The key to her story is the power of proactive health management,” Obeid said. “She perceptively recognized that a family history of cancer could signify an elevated personal risk, and this awareness prompted her to engage in proactive cancer screening, a critical step for early detection and intervention.”
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