Family History for Cancer Risk Assessment, Testing and Management

One out of two men and one out of three women will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Among these individuals, 5-10% have a hereditary syndrome that can cause them to develop cancer at a much earlier age than typical and have increased risk of developing multiple cancers. There is a free, simple genetic “test” that can help you identify individuals who would benefit from increased cancer screening: family history.

Cancer Family History for Cancer Risk Assessment, Testing and Management is an online education program that helps health care providers improve their cancer risk assessment and prevention practice through targeted family history screening.

Highlights of the program include:

• Strategies to use family history to identify patients at increased risk of a genetic syndrome, such as hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, for earlier or more frequent cancer screening.
• Application of new USPSTF guidelines recommending family history screening for all patients with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer.
• Learning through 15-minute interactive Web cases and downloadable point-of-care tools that can be used in the clinic.
• Free CME.

Working through demonstration videos of clinical interactions and practice cases, learners will practice identifying, assessing and managing patients who are at different levels of cancer risk. The program also provides strategies for finding and collaborating with genetic experts, approaches to communicating risk, and tools to use in practice.

The program is freely available and eligible for CME provided through UConn Health. Funding for this program is provided by Maine Cancer Foundation and The Jackson Laboratory.