Pathways to Precision: Integrating Genetic Counseling and Testing Into Cancer Care

STATEMENT OF NEED

Precision medicine is a cutting-edge approach that incorporates an individual’s genomic, environmental, and lifestyle information to deliver personalized healthcare. Genetic testing and counseling are crucial components of precision medicine, enabling clinicians to deliver the right care to the right patient at the right time (Turbitt et al, 2023). However, genetic testing often remains an untapped resource for patients who may benefit from genetic risk assessment and cancer surveillance, and barriers at the patient, provider, and systems level may impede its integration into the clinic (Dusic et al, 2022). In this activity, Dr. Filipa Lynce, Director of the Inflammatory Breast Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Catherine Skefos, Certified Genetic Counselor in the Clinical Cancer Genetics Program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, will explore solutions for overcoming barriers to genetic testing referral, clinical trial data and real-world evidence for targeted therapies for BRCA-mutated solid tumors, and strategies for effectively counseling patients regarding complex genetic information.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Primary care providers (PCPs), medical oncologists, medical geneticists, genetic counselors, oncology nurses, and advanced practice providers involved in referring or conducting genetic counseling and testing of patients with or at risk of cancer.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to

Explain the rationale behind referring patients for genetic risk assessment and testing and selecting the appropriate testing methodology
Identify potential solutions to common barriers to genetic testing referral and integration into clinical practice
Evaluate existing and novel targeted therapies for BRCA-mutated solid tumors based on key clinical trial data and real-world evidence
Apply expert strategies to clearly communicate complex genetic information, counseling process, and referral pathways to patients and family members