Navigating Genetic Risk as a Family with Marleah Dean Kruzel, Ph.D

What happens after genetic testing?

For many people, receiving a positive genetic test result is just the beginning. The real challenge often comes next: navigating uncertainty, making medical decisions, and having difficult conversations with the people you love.

In this episode of BRCA & Beyond, I sit down with Dr. Marleah Dean Kruzel, a BRCA2 previvor, researcher, speaker, and Associate Professor whose work focuses on hereditary cancer, genetic risk communication, patient empowerment, and family communication. As the daughter of a breast cancer survivor and a BRCA2 carrier herself, Dr. Dean Kruzel has dedicated her career to helping patients, families, and healthcare providers navigate the complex realities of hereditary cancer risk.

Together, we discuss:

✨ The emotional side of genetic testing

✨ Why many people delay testing—even when they know they're at risk

✨ How hereditary cancer affects entire families, not just the person who tests positive

✨ Family communication and difficult conversations about inherited cancer risk

✨ What cascade testing is and why it can save lives

✨ How to approach relatives who may be hesitant to test

✨ Managing uncertainty as a BRCA previvor

✨ Practical strategies for talking with children and family members about genetic risk

✨ Why these conversations are not "one and done"

Whether you carry a BRCA mutation, Lynch syndrome, CHEK2, PALB2, ATM, TP53, PTEN, or another hereditary cancer mutation, this episode offers practical guidance, validation, and hope for navigating genetic risk as a family.

About Dr. Marleah Dean Kruzel

Dr. Marleah Dean Kruzel is a health communication researcher, speaker, and BRCA2 previvor whose mission is to empower patients to better engage with clinicians, help clinicians communicate more effectively with patients, and translate research into meaningful tools that improve health outcomes. Her work focuses on hereditary cancer, patient engagement, managing uncertainty, health decision-making, and communication among patients, families, and healthcare providers. She has collaborated with organizations including FORCE and has received funding from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Cancer Society.

Connect with Dr. Marleah Dean Kruzel

📍 LinkedIn:

Marleah Dean Kruzel on LinkedIn

📍 Website:

marleahdeankruzel.com

📍 YouTube:

Watch Dr. Dean Kruzel's TEDx Talk, How to Make Decisions in the Wake of Uncertainty, and explore Previvor Perspectives, a series she co-hosts with Sara Kavanaugh of The Positive Gene Podcast.

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis.

Medical Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.

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