In an opinion piece published in The New York Times, Diane M. Simeone, MD, director of the Pancreatic Cancer Center at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, advocates for more early screening for pancreatic cancer, particularly for people at greater risk.

Dr. Simeone points out there are now tests—known as a germ line test—available to screen DNA for early warning signs of pancreatic cancer, and advocates that people most at risk (such as someone who has had at least two family members diagnosed with pancreatic cancer) have these tests performed to determine whether mutant cells are present.

“The costs of these tests have plummeted in the past several years, so they are much more economically feasible,” Dr. Simeone says. “More importantly, we have underestimated the importance of genes in conferring risk for many diseases, including pancreatic cancer. Knowing a person’s germ line mutation helps us tailor treatment and identify additional family members who may be at risk.”

Read more from The New York Times.