Resources about inherited cancer risk for healthcare providers
Approximately 5-10% of all cancer is due to hereditary cancer syndromes. More cancers are likely influenced by genetic factors associated with moderate risk. Being able to identify individuals at increased cancer risk through family history and, in some cases, genetic testing, can influence management and outcomes through increasing screening and/or risk-reducing interventions. The resources below provide opportunities to learn about hereditary cancer syndromes, identify individuals at increased risk, interpret genetic testing results, apply genetic information to management, collaborate with genetics professionals, and communicate with patients.
Free, self-directed programs for continuing education credit.
Hereditary Cancer Clinical Education Program
Build skills to identify and manage patients who at increased risk of cancer based on family health history and/or genetic testing. Choose from 9 short, case-based modules.
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Hereditary Cancer Syndromes: Are Your Patients at Risk?
Develop skills and knowledge to identify patients with cancer who are most appropriate for germline testing, choose the right test, and using the results to develop a management plan.
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These factsheets describe the clinical features, diagnosis, testing, and genetics of the following hereditary cancer syndromes.
Risk Assessment
Family History Collection Tips & Tools. Provides tips, resources, and tools for family history collection in clinical practice.
Cancer Genetic Risk Assessment. Helps identify red flags and stratify cancer risk based on family history.
Genetically Related Cancers. Provides key features and cancer risks associated with common hereditary cancer syndromes.
Genetic Testing
Comparing Genetic Tests. Provides a quick reference for the detection capabilities for common types of genetic testing, such as gene sequencing and deletion/duplication analysis.
Hereditary Cancer Panels. Provides considerations when evaluating different multi-gene panels for hereditary cancer testing.
Genetic Testing Methods eBook. Provides information about different genetic testing methods currently used in testing for hereditary cancer syndromes.
Genetic Testing Results Interpretation Tool. Outlines how to interpret results from cancer genetic testing in different patient situations.
Management
Patient Management after Genomic Testing. Summarizes patient care and management steps for patients with positive, negative, uncertain, and unexpected results from genomic testing.
Hereditary Cancer Management Guidelines. Provides access to current management guidelines based on genetic or familial risk.
Communication
Communicating Genetic Risk. Outlines key points to consider when communicating risk to patients.
Pretest Counseling Recommendations. Outlines key points to address during pretest counseling.
Communicating with Family. Outlines key points to consider when discussing family communication with patients.
Genetic Services
Components of a Cancer Genetic Counseling Session. Discusses the core components of a cancer genetic counseling session.
Accessing Genetic Services. Lists tools and websites to help find genetics professionals and provides patient talking points about referring to genetics. Find cancer genetic services in ME, CT, and Western NY.
Hereditary Breast Cancer Patient and Family Resources. Provides patient resources for understanding genetic services and breast cancer genetics.