Hereditary Cancer Testing: How do we Scale Access, Improve Uptake and Equity?
September 10, 2024 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Description:
Expanding treatment utility and genetic testing criteria has led to an increased demand for genetic testing for germline cancer susceptibility. To meet the demand, alternative models of service delivery for both index and cascade genetic testing have been adopted. These include initiation of testing by non-genetics professionals, reflexive tumour testing, group genetic counselling, and use of patient-led platforms to support or supplement pretest counseling, return of results and management support.
It has also become evident that referral and uptake of genetic testing has been uneven across populations grouped by self-reported ethnicities, and with disparities seen in both index and cascade genetic testing.
This session will focus on understanding the drivers of the rise in hereditary cancer testing, barriers to access and solutions that are being implemented. Genetic professionals and scientists from the publicly-funded health system of Canada, and the mixed health system of the US will describe their experiences developing and implementing alternative models of care, including digital and technological approaches and share insights on how these approaches can improve equitable access to testing.
Dr. Kelly Metcalfe, a Nursing Professor and Scientist (University of Toronto, Canada), will begin by describing the increasing demand for genetic testing in oncology and the delivery of rapid genetic testing. To highlight a systematic process to identify hereditary cancer patients, Dr. Alanna Rahm, a Genetic counselor, behavioral & implementation scientist (Geisinger Health System, USA – ACMG Member), will review the implementation of universal Lynch syndrome screening of colon and endometrial cancers across multiple health care systems in the US. To introduce patient-led approaches to hereditary cancer testing, Dr. Yvonne Bombard, a genomics health services researcher (Unity Health Toronto, Canada - ACMG Non-Member, GIM Open Editor), will discuss development of patient platforms to support pretest counseling and return of results for mainstreaming, cascade testing and cancer genomic screening programs.
To review advances in cascade testing, Dr. Gemma Campbell-Salome, a health communication scientist (Geisinger Health System, USA – ACMG Member), will discuss examples of facilitating cascade screening through chatbots, direct contact approaches and other family communication strategies. Finally, Dr. Kasmintan Schrader, co-Medical Director of BC Cancer’s Hereditary Cancer Program (University of British Columbia, Canada), will review a technological advance in the ability to assign parent-of-origin to any autosomal variant and discuss how this may improve cascade genetic testing efficiencies and uptake.
These presentations will provide attendees with an overview of cutting-edge alternative models of service delivery, digital and technological approaches to help scale access to hereditary cancer testing and improve uptake and equity.
Target Audience
- Medical and clinical geneticists, genetic counselors, pediatric, obstetric, and maternal-fetal specialists, and other medical practitioners providing comprehensive diagnostic, management, and counseling services for patients with, or at risk for, genetically influenced health issues.
- Laboratory directors and technicians conducting genetic testing.
- Researchers discovering genetic disorders and treatments.
- Clinical, laboratory, and research trainees in genetics and biomedical sciences.
- Healthcare and public health professionals interested in medical and clinical genetics and genomics.
- Advocates for patients with genetic conditions and their families.
This diverse audience will benefit from programming aimed at understanding the genetic basis of common, chronic health problems in children and adults.
Agenda
Presentation followed by live Q&A.
Presentation
|
Presenter
|
Affiliation
|
Welcome and Introduction
|
Alanna Kulchak Rahm, PhD, MS, CGC
|
NHGRI
|
Technological Advances Supporting Pretest Counseling and Return of Results for Hereditary Cancer Testing
|
Yvonne Bombard, PhD
|
University of Toronto
|
Family Risk Communication and Cascade Screening Facilitation Through Chatbots and Direct Contact
|
Gemme Campbell-Salome, PhD, MA
|
Geisinger
|
Implementation Of Universal Lynch Syndrome Tumor Screening Programs Across Different Health Care Systems
|
Alanna Kulchak Rahm, PhD, MS, CGC
|
NHGRI
|
Rapid Access to Genetic Testing in Oncology
|
Kelly Metcalfe, RN, PhD
|
Women's College Research Institute
|
Parent-Of-Origin-Aware Genome Analysis to Direct Cascade Genetic Testing; A Paradigm Shift in Genetics
|
Kasmintan A. Schrader, MBBS, PhD, FRCPC, DABMGG
|
University of British Columbia
|
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to:
- Discuss the drivers behind the increasing demand for hereditary cancer genetic testing.
- Consider the current inequities and the barriers to access hereditary cancer genetic testing.
- Review systematic approaches to hereditary cancer genetic testing in different jurisdictions.
- Recognize digital approaches to hereditary cancer information sharing between patients, providers, and families.
- Consider the technological advance of parent-of-origin-aware genomic analysis and the implications for cascade testing.
Meet the Faculty
Alanna Rahm, PhD, MS, CGC, Program Director in the Division of Genomic Medicine at NHGRI
Gemme Campbell-Salome, PhD, MA, Geisinger
Kelly Metcalfe, RN, PhD, Women's College Research Institute
Kasmintan Schrader, MBBS, PhD, FRCPC, DABMGG, University of British Columbia
Yvonne Bombard, PhD, Unity Health Toronto