Jeb Albro works as a Certified Neurophysiological Intraoperative Monitoring (CNIM) technologist who conducts nerve monitoring for spinal surgeries. It is his job to give surgeons feedback on during surgeries at Unity Hospital and Rochester General Hospital, helping to ensure patient safety and preserve neurologic function.
In October 2025, Jeb, who is 53, received an email from Rochester Regional Health offering no-cost genetic screening through GenoWell. He had been considering genetic screening to understand his ancestry and how it might be linked to his health, so he signed up.
Undergoing screening through GenoWell
Within a week, Jeb visited a Rochester Regional Health lab and submitted a sample via a blood draw.
“They are up to date at Rochester Regional Health, so the process was pretty effortless,” Jeb said.
Three weeks later, his screening results came back with an unexpected result: he was BRCA2 positive, meaning his DNA carries a gene that, when mutated, significantly raises his lifetime risk of several types of cancer, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate.
“I was surprised,” Jeb said. “There hasn’t been anyone in my family who has ever been diagnosed with breast cancer.”
"Studies suggest people who carry a BRCA2 gene mutation are at an increased risk for developing more aggressive prostate cancer at younger ages. Identifying this risk early can help guide more personalized screening, allowing for opportunities to take proactive steps toward earlier detection," said Ben McPherson, MS, CGC, & Kim Provenzano, NP, APNG, genetic counselors with GenoWell and Rochester Regional Health.
Following up to take next steps
Within 24 hours of Jeb receiving his results, he was having conversations with a genetics counselor to discuss the results of the screening and how it impacted his cancer risk. The counselor was able to schedule a follow-up appointment based on the results.
Jeb had a mammogram done, which came back negative for breast cancer.
Based on expert guidance, Jeb said he will undergo screening for prostate cancer, as well. This type of screening is common for men who have the BRCA2 gene.
How genetic screening affects family risk
While Jeb was taking precautions for his own health, he reached out to his own family to let them know what he had learned. Because Jeb’s brother Errol has a daughter, he encouraged him to consider doing a screening through GenoWell, as well.
“My brother and mother both underwent screening,” Jeb said. “My mother tested negative for BRCA2, but my brother was BRCA2 positive.”
Jeb said his personal stance on knowing about genetic health conditions is based on the idea that turning the unknown into something you know can make it less frightening.
“Knowing that I have an increased risk for certain health conditions makes me more vigilant about my health,” Jeb said.
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