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Imagine receiving a cancer diagnosis. The news alone can feel overwhelming, with an instant flood of questions, fears, and decisions. Now add another layer: worrying whether the treatment medications meant to help you could cause serious side effects. That mental weight is heavy, and for many, it’s a reality they face without knowing there may be a way to reduce that risk.
A recent nationwide survey of more than 1,100 cancer patients and survivors explored this very issue.1 The focus was on pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing, which examines a person’s inherited genetic makeup to see how they might respond to specific medications. Unlike tumor biomarker testing, PGx testing is about you—your DNA—not the cancer cells.
The survey found that before learning about PGx testing, 56% of respondents were concerned about taking a drug that caused serious side effects in just 1% of patients. After learning that PGx testing could help predict who might be at risk, that number jumped to 70%. Awareness made a difference, but here’s the catch: fewer than half of participants even knew PGx testing existed, and most learned about it from sources other than their doctor.
That gap in awareness matters. Without PGx testing, patients might be exposed to unnecessary risks or take drugs that won’t work well for them. Through testing, treatment can be tailored to the individual patient, thereby avoiding harmful reactions and enhancing the likelihood of success.
Your Ally Before and After a Diagnosis
Cancer is common, and navigating a diagnosis can be overwhelming, especially when faced with urgent decisions about treatment. Kadance members have access to PGx testing as a day-one benefit, meaning you don’t need a cancer diagnosis to get started. Many people take medications for high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, or anxiety. PGx testing can help ensure those drugs (and all others) are safe and effective for you, long before cancer ever enters the picture. Our clinical pharmacists review your results alongside your medication list and update their recommendations whenever your prescriptions change. That’s ongoing, personalized protection against avoidable side effects, something most people never realize they could have.
And if a cancer diagnosis occurs, Kadance stands with you. You’ll have a dedicated oncology nurse navigator (ONN) who has walked this road with many others, guiding you through every step and ensuring that no option is overlooked. One of the most powerful ways your ONN supports you is by coordinating PGx testing if you haven’t taken advantage of this benefit before a diagnosis. This testing, combined with the expertise of our clinical pharmacists, can provide your oncologist with critical information about how your body may respond to specific cancer medications. That means you may be spared treatments that could cause harmful side effects, or avoid drug-drug interactions that might keep your therapy from working as intended. Instead, your care team can focus on the treatments most likely to be safe and effective for you. With Kadance, PGx testing isn’t an afterthought. It’s part of a thoughtful, proactive approach to care that helps protect you at one of life’s most vulnerable moments.
For Our Insurance Professional Partners - Helping Your Clients When They Need It Most
Think about your client base. Statistically, some of them will face cancer. If they were offered a medication that could harm them, but a simple test could prevent it, wouldn’t you want them to have that test? Kadance makes that possible from day one, building trust and maintaining engagement over time.
And here’s something else to consider: many of your clients are already taking medications for high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, or anxiety. PGx testing can help optimize these therapies too, reducing the chance of adverse effects or drug interactions. That means Kadance provides value even before a cancer diagnosis. And if cancer does occur, the testing becomes even more critical in guiding safe and effective treatment decisions.
By offering Kadance, you’re giving clients something most insurance products don’t: an enduring relationship that supports them before, during, and after a cancer diagnosis. It’s the difference between offering a policy and offering a partner in their health journey.
Why Acting Now Matters
The survey makes one thing clear: most people want PGx testing once they understand what it entails, but far too few are aware of its existence. You have the power to change that. For members, it’s peace of mind. For insurance professionals, it’s the ability to provide lasting value.
Because when the stakes are high, having an ally who knows the path and has walked it many times before can make all the difference.
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