A Single $249 Test Analyzes 30 Cancer Genes. But Do You Need It?

The breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 ar two of the famous sequences of DNA in the world. In the 90s, their discovery upended cancer research, kicking off a frenzy to find other genes linked to cancer. That in turn kicked off another frenzy: of companies selling kits that test for ever-more newly discovered cancer genes. Today, the cancer genetics startup Color Genomics is announcing that it will expand its test for breast and ovarian cancer genes to include a total of 30, including genes related to pancreatic, stomach, colon, and prostate cancer.

Color stands out among the field because of its price: $249. That’s cheap enough to leapfrog insurance companies, the traditional gatekeepers of genetic tests. Insurance typically only covers genetic tests for cancer—which can run to over a thousand dollars among Color’s competitors—if a patient has risk factors like family history of cancer at a young age. Color also helpfully refers would-be customers to doctors to order the test. “Historically the test has been very expensive, and the process to get testing meant jumping through lots...