Different cancers across your family — sarcoma, brain tumor, breast cancer — all connected by a single strand. One test finds it.
Whole genome sequencing identifies TP53 variants — enabling the Toronto Protocol surveillance program that catches cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages.
Li-Fraumeni Syndrome
Li-Fraumeni Syndrome is caused by germline pathogenic variants in TP53, the gene encoding p53 — the 'guardian of the genome.' TP53 normally responds to DNA damage by halting cell division, activating repair, or triggering apoptosis if damage is irreparable. When inherited as a pathogenic variant, one copy is lost. This follows Knudson's two-hit tumor suppressor model: a single somatic mutation in the remaining copy removes all p53 function, eliminating the critical brake on damaged cell proliferation. The result is a syndrome of strikingly early-onset, multiple independent primary cancers.
Li-Fraumeni Syndrome affects approximately 1 in 5,000–20,000 individuals, though prevalence is likely underestimated due to variable family histories and de novo variants (7–20% of cases). The five core cancers are soft-tissue sarcomas, osteosarcomas, brain tumors, premenopausal breast cancer, and adrenocortical carcinomas — but the spectrum extends to virtually every tissue type. Lifetime cancer risk approaches 100% in females and ~75% in males by age 70. Many affected individuals develop multiple independent primary cancers over a lifetime, sometimes before age 40.
A confirmed TP53 variant diagnosis enables the Toronto Protocol — a comprehensive surveillance program including annual whole-body MRI, brain MRI, breast MRI from age 20, and abdominal ultrasound. This surveillance detects early-stage cancers when outcomes are best, improving overall survival significantly. Critically, radiation exposure must be minimized: TP53-deficient cells are hypersensitive to radiation-induced secondary cancers, making CT scans and radiation therapy particularly dangerous. Cascade testing of first-degree relatives, including children, identifies others at risk before symptoms develop.
TP53 pathogenic variants are predominantly missense mutations in the DNA-binding domain, but include truncating variants, splice-site variants, and whole-gene deletions — each with potential genotype-phenotype distinctions that affect surveillance intensity.
Standard panels may miss TP53 variants entirely, or detect somatic variants in clonal hematopoiesis that mimic germline findings — requiring tissue discrimination standard sequencing cannot provide.
TP53 has the highest VUS rate on standard panels
While TP53 is included on most hereditary cancer panels, it has one of the highest rates of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) — leaving patients and providers with ambiguous answers. Additionally, clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) can produce somatic TP53 variants in blood at low allelic fractions that mimic germline pathogenic variants. Standard sequencing cannot distinguish between germline (present in all cells) and mosaic (present in a fraction of cells) variants. Whole genome sequencing with cell-type-specific analysis can distinguish these, providing definitive answers.
A TP53 finding changes everything about how cancer is approached
Confirmation of a TP53 pathogenic variant enables the Toronto Protocol — one of the most comprehensive cancer surveillance programs in medicine. Annual whole-body MRI screening detects adrenocortical carcinomas at ages when they present in infants and young children — when early detection is most life-saving. It identifies early-stage breast cancers, brain tumors, and sarcomas before they advance. Equally important: it enables radiation avoidance in treatment planning, preventing radiation-induced secondary cancers in a population uniquely vulnerable to them.
Your full DNA (not just a part of it)
Traditional genetic testing looks at narrow sets of genes, missing most parts of your genome. We sequence your full genome — every gene and every region between genes.
Comprehensive insights and specialized reports
Easy to read and with answers you and your doctor can act on. Not a file to interpret — 200+ clinical reports, organized by category.
Your test becomes more valuable every year
Your DNA does not change, but genome science is accelerating. Every month, new variant-disease associations are discovered. We validate these findings and update your reports automatically. Your test becomes more valuable every year.
The results doctors bring to their hardest cases.
Forty years of uncertainty. One test.
A patient had spent decades in the UK healthcare system without a diagnosis. Dante data, accepted by NHS clinical teams at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow, identified Noonan Syndrome and a RUNX1 leukemia-associated variant that had gone undetected. After 40 years, they finally had an answer.
A complete read delivers a complete picture.
A patient came to Dante to investigate periodic paralysis. Reading the complete genome identified a concurrent hereditary cardiac finding — Brugada syndrome — that their doctor confirmed with an ECG. The result also explained a family member's unresolved cardiac history. One test. Every answer in it.
Sequenced in 2019. The data worked in 2021.
Jennifer sequenced her genome with Dante two years before her breast cancer diagnosis. When treatment began, Dante's pharmacogenomics data showed her prescribed chemotherapy would cause serious adverse effects. Her doctor selected an alternative — and she started effective treatment from day one.
Every genetic question deserves a complete answer.
Whether you are searching for answers today or protecting your health for tomorrow, a complete read of your entire genome is the only place to start.
It runs in your family. Now you can know if it runs in your genes.
Your genome contains inherited variants associated with medical conditions like cardiac, cancer, and neurological. We read all of them — with the clinical depth to give the result meaning.
Learn more →When traditional lab tests say you're fine. And you know you're not.
Standard diagnostic tests check for a pre-selected set of answers. We sequence your full DNA — including parts that no test was designed to check. If the answer is in your genome, we will help you find it.
Learn more →Your diagnosis may be right. Your treatment plan may be incomplete.
Your genes determine which treatments are most likely to work — and which are not. We give your doctor the tools and insights to inform your treatment plan.
Learn more →You want to know before something forces the question.
Some people don't wait for a diagnosis or a family history to act. Whole genome sequencing gives you the complete genetic picture now — so you and your doctor can make informed decisions before anything becomes urgent.
Learn more →You already took a DNA test. Here's what it couldn't tell you.
Most consumer DNA tests read less than 0.1% of your genome. We read all of it.
Learn more →Clinical-grade results. Chosen by individuals, trusted by doctors for their most complex cases.
Dante Genome Test helped specialists at a UK national acute hospital in the identification of Noonan Syndrome and a rare leukemia-associated genetic variant that had gone undetected. That result changed the medical care of the patient.
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Common questions about whole genome sequencing.
What is the difference between whole genome sequencing and a targeted genetic test?
Targeted genetic tests — including standard hereditary cancer panels — read a pre-defined list of known variants in a specific set of genes. They are designed to find what they already know to look for. Whole genome sequencing reads your entire genome: all 6 billion base pairs, every gene, every region between genes. A Mayo Clinic study published in JAMA Oncology found that standard testing guidelines missed more than half of patients with inherited cancer mutations. Genome Test does not have a fixed list.
What will I receive when my results are ready?
Your Dante Genome delivers 200+ physician-ready reports organized by clinical category — hereditary cancer, cardiac conditions, rare diseases, pharmacogenomics, carrier status, and more. Reports are delivered to your secure Genome Manager and are formatted for direct clinical use. Your genome data is permanently retained and re-analyzed automatically as science advances.
What happens if a clinically significant variant is found?
If a pathogenic or likely-pathogenic variant is identified, it will be clearly flagged in your physician-ready report with clinical context, published evidence, and recommended next steps. We recommend sharing any clinically significant finding with your physician or a genetic counselor, who can guide decisions about surveillance, risk reduction, or cascade testing for family members.
How is this different from a consumer DNA test like 23andMe or AncestryDNA?
Consumer DNA tests use genotyping chips that read less than 0.1% of your genome — a tiny pre-selected set of common variants. They are optimized for ancestry and population-level traits, not clinical genetic findings. The Dante Genome Test sequences 100% of your genome at 30X coverage, the same standard used in clinical diagnostic settings. The two tests are not comparable in scope, methodology, or clinical utility.
How long does it take to get results, and how are they delivered?
Your collection kit ships within 48 hours of ordering. Once your sample arrives at our CLIA-certified laboratory, sequencing and analysis takes 6–8 weeks. Results are delivered securely to your Genome Manager, where you can access your reports, share them with your physician, and receive automatic updates as new findings are validated against your genome.
We work with patient advocacy groups worldwide.
Dante Labs works with patient advocacy groups of any size — for Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and other conditions, rare and common. We support groups in any country, including virtual patient advocacy groups.
We can provide customized reports, group discounts, and packages tailored for your members. Please reach out using the form and we'll be in touch within two business days.
- Custom genomic reports for your members
- Group discounts and tailored packages
- Any country — including virtual groups
- Rare and common conditions covered
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One test.
A lifetime of answers.
One kit, sent to your home. Your entire genome sequenced at the clinical standard used for diagnostic decisions. 200+ physician-ready reports delivered to your Genome Manager in 6–8 weeks — permanent and updated as science advances.
Ships within 48 hours · Results in 6–8 weeks