Smilow Cancer Genetics & Prevention Program
The Smilow Cancer Genetics & Prevention Program is a team of specialists, including physicians, geneticists, genetic counselors, genetics clinical coordinators, and nurse practitioners, who work together to provide genetic counseling/education and genetic testing to inform cancer risk assessment, precision treatment for patients with cancer, and surgical management decisions.
Patients seen in the Smilow Cancer Genetics & Prevention Program will typically first meet with a genetic counselor or genetics clinical coordinator. Genetic counselors are licensed medical professionals with advanced training in genetics who help patients understand and adapt to the medical, psychological, and familial implications of genetic contributions to diseases such as cancer. Genetics clinical coordinators are key team members who enable expedited evaluation and genetic testing for patients who meet the criteria for genetic testing as part of our novel Fast-Track Program.
What Is Genetic Testing for Hereditary Cancer?
Our Approach
The cancer genetic counseling process includes the following:
- Detailed review of a patient’s medical history and their family history of cancer
- Risk assessment of the chance that the cancer(s) in the family are hereditary
- Discussion of the risks, benefits, and limitations of genetic testing
- Coordination of genetic testing and detailed discussion of genetic test results
- Discussion of appropriate medical management recommendations, implications for family members, and support resources
- Coordination of cascade testing, which is genetic testing of blood relatives of individuals with genetic mutations identified
Our specific goals include the following:
- Clinical: Provide patient-centered care and foster collaboration among health care providers
- Research: Advance the field of cancer genetics, risk prediction and prevention, and related treatment options
- Education: Provide clinical/didactic experiences for genetic counseling students, medical students, residents, fellows, and other providers
- Community Outreach: Promote awareness of hereditary cancer risk and provide broad-based education about cancer prevention options
Who may benefit from genetic counseling and testing?
Someone with:
- A personal or family history of early-onset cancer (younger than 45-50 years)
- Several family members on the same side of the family with cancer
- A personal or family history of breast cancer and Jewish ancestry
- A personal or family history of ovarian, pancreatic, triple-negative breast cancer, or metastatic prostate cancer at any age
- A personal or family history of multiple colon polyps
- A personal or family history of multiple cancer diagnoses within the same individual
- A personal or family history of a rare type of cancer/tumor (breast cancer in a male, medullary thyroid cancer, sebaceous carcinoma, or adenoma)
- A family history of a known gene mutation (such as BRCA1, BRCA2, MLH1, MSH2, etc.)
- A person with cancer where the genetic results may help determine eligibility for targeted therapy
Our Services
The services we offer to help patients have access to genetic testing include:
- Genetic counseling: This is the gold standard of genetics care delivery. It entails meeting with a genetic counselor to review the benefits and considerations of genetic testing, options for genetic testing, the impact on patients and their families, and medical recommendations to make an informed decision about genetic testing.
- Fast-Track Program: This is a novel approach in which patients who meet national guidelines for genetic testing are seen by a genetics clinical coordinator for an expedited visit, have genetic testing coordinated, and receive medical recommendations.
- Point-of-Care Testing: Our program partners with multiple clinical teams to help clinicians introduce and discuss genetic testing with their existing patients, order genetic testing, and review results to expedite the testing process in the care of patients. Our team works together with clinical teams to see patients after testing is completed for a full review of recommendations based on genetic results and family history, and to discuss cascade testing as needed.
Read more in our Cancer Genetics Frequently Asked Questions.
View a list of external resources.
Learn more about the Smilow Cancer Genetics & Prevention Program.
