Hereditary Cancer Syndromes: The Major Players and How to Identify Them
October 22, 2021A CME Program with the Smilow Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program
Presentation by: Amy Killie, MS, CGC
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- 00:00Well, I think we'll get started
- 00:02up so my name is Claire Healy.
- 00:05I'm one of the managers in this
- 00:07Milo cancer genetics and prevention
- 00:09program and we're very excited to
- 00:11have all of you join us tonight.
- 00:13This is a two night seminar series
- 00:16and we've titled it Identifying and
- 00:18caring for individuals with high
- 00:20risk and inherited cancer syndrome
- 00:23and the goal of this seminar series
- 00:25is really to help provide some
- 00:26information to our colleagues in the
- 00:28community on how to recognize patients.
- 00:30At elevated risk to develop cancer
- 00:33and that those who may have an
- 00:37underlying hereditary cancer risk.
- 00:38There will be utilizing their
- 00:41Q&A feature for questions,
- 00:42so feel free to type your questions
- 00:44in as the talks goes on and we will
- 00:48plan to have a question and answer
- 00:50session at the end with our speaker,
- 00:53so I'll introduce our speaker
- 00:54and then turn things over to her.
- 00:56So tonight we're pleased to welcome
- 00:58Amy Kelly and Amy received her Masters
- 01:01degree in genetic counseling from the
- 01:04ICANN School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
- 01:06This band with a smile.
- 01:07Oh cancer genetics and prevention
- 01:09program for four years and she's one
- 01:12of our more experienced counselors
- 01:14at a genetic counselor to level
- 01:16and her research interests include
- 01:18hereditary pancreatic cancer.
- 01:20So we're thrilled to have Amy and
- 01:22Amy thank you for joining us.
- 01:23I'll turn it over to you.
- 01:27Great, thanks so much Claire
- 01:29for the introduction.
- 01:30Good evening everyone.
- 01:32I'm very excited to be talking
- 01:34to you about hereditary cancer
- 01:35and things to look for and things
- 01:38to consider when thinking about
- 01:40a referral to harass her cancer.
- 01:42So I am just going to share my screen.
- 01:59Amy, I'm not seeing your slides. Yep,
- 02:02I just put it on pause just for one. OK.
- 02:08And.
- 02:13These things always take a second day.
- 02:15OK, there we go. Great OK perfect.
- 02:22So just for the agenda today,
- 02:25what I want to go over as I want to review
- 02:28referral guidelines for hereditary cancer,
- 02:30I want to review the more common
- 02:33hereditary cancer indications.
- 02:34Then I want to review a couple of more
- 02:36rare hereditary cancer indications,
- 02:38then talk about self pay,
- 02:40genetic testing and also direct
- 02:41to consumer genetic testing and
- 02:43talk about some of the practical
- 02:45practical aspects of genetic casting.
- 02:47Why someone may want to have genetic
- 02:50testing and talk about genetic counseling.
- 02:53As a whole.
- 02:55So to start talking about
- 02:57hereditary breast cancer,
- 02:58so we cannot talk about hereditary
- 03:01cancer without talking about BRCA
- 03:03one and BRCA 2 related to hereditary
- 03:06breast and ovarian cancer syndrome.
- 03:09These genes are probably the poster
- 03:12children of hereditary cancer
- 03:14testing and I know that everyone
- 03:16here has heard about them before.
- 03:18As we know they make up mutations
- 03:21in these genes.
- 03:22Germline mutations in these genes
- 03:24are associated with a high risk of
- 03:26breast cancer in women which depends
- 03:28slightly dependent on BRCA one or
- 03:30BRCA 2 but the risk is between 50
- 03:32to 75% lifetime risk and also a
- 03:34significantly increased risk of
- 03:36ovarian cancer in women with again
- 03:39arranged depending on the gene but
- 03:41between 15 up to 60% lifetime risk.
- 03:44So definitely significant lifetime risks and.
- 03:48This this I mentioned.
- 03:50These jeans are the poster children
- 03:51of why we do genetic testing.
- 03:53Is that even though these are
- 03:55considered to be high risk genes,
- 03:56there are management guidelines.
- 03:58There's screening options for women
- 04:00who test positive for a mutation,
- 04:02BRCA one and BRCA 2 in terms of beginning
- 04:06breast imaging at a younger age.
- 04:08Adding on breast MRI for more
- 04:11sensitive imaging.
- 04:12Prophylactic bilateral mastectomy's.
- 04:13I feel like they're often talked
- 04:15about in the media at once.
- 04:17Part of Angelina Jolie.
- 04:18Is an option women decided to pursue and
- 04:21of course and of course prophylactic
- 04:23bilateral salpingo over ectomy to be
- 04:25preventative against ovarian cancer.
- 04:27So in the advent of genetic testing for
- 04:30these genes and establishing guidelines
- 04:32you know women and other people
- 04:34who are at higher risk of pressure,
- 04:36right cancer have really been able
- 04:38to take this information and use
- 04:41it to actually lengthen their life
- 04:43and have a better quality of life.
- 04:45So really we can't.
- 04:46We can't talk about hereditary
- 04:47cancer without talking about these.
- 04:492 genes.
- 04:51However.
- 04:53We are now past the era of only
- 04:56testing BRCA one and BRCA 2.
- 04:59It's not uncommon for me to see a
- 05:02patient and say oh I'm here for the
- 05:05the Braca test but now you know,
- 05:08especially since about 2015 now.
- 05:12Our testing includes many other genes
- 05:15that we now know of relating to
- 05:18hereditary risk of breast cancer and
- 05:21we know that these genes they they
- 05:23can be arranged so some of these.
- 05:25And broke up a little categories
- 05:27but BRCA one and two are related to
- 05:30are considered a high risk breast
- 05:32cancer gene and there's other
- 05:33genes that fall into that
- 05:35category as well that also have guidelines.
- 05:38Now some of these higher risk
- 05:40genes often have other features
- 05:42that are uncommon or more rare.
- 05:44For example, the gene TP 53.
- 05:47Many people have heard of related
- 05:49to leave from many syndrome which is
- 05:51most characteristic of early onset
- 05:54sarcomas or early onset osteosarcomas.
- 05:56Very young breast cancer
- 05:58in childhood cancers.
- 06:00So not every single high risk gene is
- 06:03necessarily a gene of interest for a
- 06:06woman who has early onset breast cancer.
- 06:08But with the advent of larger
- 06:11testing we can now test for these
- 06:13genes all the same time.
- 06:15And what we now know is there are
- 06:17other genes that fall into more of the
- 06:20moderate risk which would be ATM and CHEK 2.
- 06:23You can see in the middle and the
- 06:25blue column there you know the risk.
- 06:27Ranges between 20 to 40% lifetime risk.
- 06:29You can see in the high risk category PAL B2,
- 06:33which has been in the news.
- 06:34More recently we're getting a
- 06:36lot of messages about PAL B2,
- 06:38but we consider to be a moderate
- 06:40to high risk breast cancer gene,
- 06:42which is why it's in the high
- 06:45risk category where the risk can
- 06:47be upwards of 58% lifetime risk.
- 06:49So there are other genes that
- 06:51we definitely want to be testing
- 06:54individuals for if they have a family.
- 06:57History that's concerning.
- 06:58For hereditary breast cancer.
- 07:00And now there's you see in the green
- 07:02the green column there are genes
- 07:04that have an unknown risk of breast
- 07:06cancer because as we've studied genes,
- 07:09and as we've learned more about genes,
- 07:11the risk is sometimes unclear where the
- 07:13there might be literature suggesting
- 07:15an increased risk of breast cancer,
- 07:18but maybe not enough to be
- 07:20significant or more data is needed.
- 07:22So some of these genes we off
- 07:25we can are included on genetic.
- 07:27Testing and this again just just
- 07:31shows the range.
- 07:32Specifically,
- 07:32I would say the the major ones that
- 07:35we would test for like ATM Chek 2,
- 07:37PALB 2,
- 07:38where the the lighter blue is the
- 07:40higher end end of the range and
- 07:43the darker blue is the lower end
- 07:45of the range so you can see.
- 07:48Regina is different and that's
- 07:51that's why we're now past this
- 07:52era of only doing testing for BRCA
- 07:54one and BRCA 2 because these genes
- 07:57some of them do have significant
- 07:59risks and most importantly we have
- 08:01guidelines for screening.
- 08:04Now this is sometimes a very common thing
- 08:07that we will see with with patients.
- 08:09Usually 1-2 testing has been
- 08:12around for at least 20 years,
- 08:14so it's not uncommon for for patients to say,
- 08:17oh, I've already had this test.
- 08:19I had this test in 2012.
- 08:21It was it was negative,
- 08:23so I was often common to see
- 08:26a test report like this.
- 08:28But back before I would say
- 08:31definitely before 2014 and probably
- 08:33a little bit even before then.
- 08:36Specially BRCA one and two testing
- 08:38was really limited to sequencing
- 08:41only and sequencing for BRCA one
- 08:44and BRCA 2 can detect up to 80% of
- 08:49detectable pathogenic mutations and
- 08:52sequencing covers the clinically
- 08:54important regions of each gene,
- 08:55including the coding exons,
- 08:57so that is that is a very informative
- 09:00test but sequencing cannot detect
- 09:03large deletions or duplications.
- 09:06Of your C1 and BRCA 2 so it is
- 09:09important when a patient has had
- 09:11genetic testing to know what year
- 09:14was it and also confirmed with
- 09:17records because for example in this
- 09:19case it says BRCA one and BRCA
- 09:221 sequencing BRCA 2 sequencing.
- 09:24No mutation detected but this test
- 09:27would not include what we consider
- 09:31large rearrangement analysis.
- 09:33Which is on,
- 09:34but you can say he see here BRCA one
- 09:37and BRCA 2 full gene rearrangement also
- 09:40sometimes called deletion duplication
- 09:42which detects intragenic deletions
- 09:45and duplications at at single exons.
- 09:48Some people also call this a the
- 09:51Bart test because back until 2013,
- 09:55Myriad Genetics had the patent
- 09:56on BRCA one and two,
- 09:58so their actual test name for BRCA one
- 10:01and two large rearrangement testing.
- 10:04Was Bart so some people might.
- 10:07You might hear patients talking
- 10:08about bar testing.
- 10:09You might hear about bar testing.
- 10:11Bart is just a name that Myriad gave
- 10:15their own tasks for large rearrangement.
- 10:18But now that Myriad Genetics
- 10:20don't have the patent,
- 10:21there's plenty.
- 10:22There's many other labs
- 10:23doing doing this test,
- 10:25and nowadays it's standard
- 10:26of care when we do.
- 10:28BRCA one and two testing to do full gene
- 10:31sequencing and deletion duplication.
- 10:34So what's also important is
- 10:36that if a patient reports BRC
- 10:39wanted to testing prior 2013,
- 10:41one is possible they may have only
- 10:44had BRCA one and two sequencing
- 10:46and not deletion duplication.
- 10:48But even if they had full gene
- 10:51sequencing and deletion duplication,
- 10:53updated genetic testing is likely
- 10:55to be indicated because prior
- 10:572013 those other genes I had
- 11:00talked about related to hereditary
- 11:02breast cancer were not included.
- 11:04On genetic testing,
- 11:05or at least very rarely included.
- 11:08So if patients before 2013 say
- 11:11that they had negative testing in,
- 11:14likely is worth or a new referral
- 11:16to talk about updated testing,
- 11:18and they say 2013.
- 11:20But even patients that 2014,
- 11:222015 some of these bigger tests,
- 11:25these bigger panels were still
- 11:27coming into play,
- 11:28but I would say anything before 2013
- 11:31is definitely worth a new evaluation.
- 11:34So I'm talking about hereditary
- 11:35breast cancer. So what?
- 11:37So what should?
- 11:38What should you be thinking
- 11:39about what I would indicate
- 11:41a referral to cancer genetics?
- 11:42If we're thinking about
- 11:44hereditary breast cancer?
- 11:45So our bread and butter for
- 11:48guidelines is NCCN guidelines.
- 11:50Based from the National
- 11:52Comprehensive Cancer Network,
- 11:53and these guidelines change every 6
- 11:55to 12 months before it was focusing
- 11:58on just pure C1 and BRCA 2 but now
- 12:01in the advent of panel testing,
- 12:04moving past the era of just BRCA 1.
- 12:06And BRCA two we know there are
- 12:09other genes if someone would
- 12:11meet clinical guidelines for so.
- 12:13NCCN used to have a nice package
- 12:16of just BRCA one and two relating
- 12:19to hereditary breast cancer.
- 12:21But now they've broken it up a little
- 12:24bit into hereditary breast cancer genes,
- 12:27hereditary ovarian cancer genes correct,
- 12:30right?
- 12:31Pancreatic cancer genes and
- 12:32hereditary prostate cancer genes.
- 12:34The reason for this is because.
- 12:36Mutations in BRCA one and BRCA two
- 12:39are related to hereditary breast
- 12:41cancer and ovarian cancer in women
- 12:43and and breast cancer in men but
- 12:46also they are related to prostate.
- 12:48Cancer risk in men and pancreatic
- 12:51cancer risk in men and women.
- 12:53So that's why NCCM has so many guidelines.
- 12:56And definitely it's not.
- 12:58These are in.
- 12:59Again, they change every 6 to 12 months,
- 13:00so you are not expected to be
- 13:02the expert on these guidelines.
- 13:04Again,
- 13:05as cancer genetics,
- 13:06we want to be a resource to you
- 13:09for your patience.
- 13:10So just to really distill some of
- 13:12these guidelines down and just some
- 13:15suggesting subjects things to think
- 13:17about when placing a referral.
- 13:19Is that if someone with a diagnosis
- 13:23of breast cancer under 50,
- 13:25anything premenopausal?
- 13:26I will say you know there there
- 13:30isn't blue for for testing if
- 13:32someone is at 50 or at 49 with
- 13:36no other family history.
- 13:37It's possible this possible they may
- 13:39not meet their insurance guidelines
- 13:41to be protesting to be clinically
- 13:43indicated and meet insurance guidelines.
- 13:45Someone would need to be
- 13:48diagnosed at 45 or younger.
- 13:50But the reason why I posted before
- 13:5250s because it is worth a referral,
- 13:54because sometimes there may be
- 13:56other factors that we would
- 13:58want to look into in the family,
- 14:00including small family size or
- 14:02limited structure or and also also
- 14:04just to go through more distant
- 14:07relatives and take the time to go
- 14:09through a whole family history.
- 14:11Now NCCN guidelines recommending
- 14:13genetic testing for anyone with
- 14:15triple negative breast cancer at
- 14:18any age and triple negative breast
- 14:20cancer is breast cancer that test
- 14:22negative for the estrogen receptor.
- 14:24Progesterone receptor and access
- 14:26of the her two protein.
- 14:29So this means essentially that the
- 14:31growth of the cancer is not fueled by
- 14:33the hormones estrogen and progesterone,
- 14:35and is also not fueled by the
- 14:37her two protein.
- 14:38So triple negative breast cancer tends to be.
- 14:41Much harder to treat and more
- 14:43aggressive because it does not
- 14:45respond to hormonal therapy, so.
- 14:47NCCN guidelines is now recommending
- 14:50triple negative breast cancer at any age.
- 14:53Because triple negative breast
- 14:54cancer is more likely to have a
- 14:57hereditary component than non
- 14:59triple negative breast cancer.
- 15:00For for most insurance purposes,
- 15:03since insurance tends to be slower
- 15:05on the uptake than guidelines
- 15:07that change every 6 to 12 months,
- 15:09insurance won't cover testing and
- 15:11without any other family history unless
- 15:14someone is diagnosed at 60 or younger.
- 15:16So something to keep in mind,
- 15:18but for in terms of a referral, it is def.
- 15:21I would say indicated,
- 15:23so something that we can
- 15:25talk about with the patient.
- 15:26Anyone with ovarian flopping to her primary
- 15:30parotta Neil Cancer at any age is genetic.
- 15:32Testing is indicated.
- 15:34Men diagnosed with breast cancer at any age.
- 15:37Metastatic intraductal prostate cancer
- 15:39diagnosis at any age and this is a
- 15:42more I would say a newer development
- 15:45within the last two years where there's
- 15:47been literature has suggested that
- 15:49men who have meta static or prostate
- 15:52cancer that's more locally advanced,
- 15:55particularly if it's a higher Gleason score.
- 15:57Which is used to rate aggressiveness
- 16:00of the prostate cancer.
- 16:02There is a higher prevalence of
- 16:04germline mutations in that group,
- 16:05so that's why for men with metastatic
- 16:08or intraductal prostate cancer,
- 16:09regardless of their AIDS,
- 16:11genetic testing is indicated,
- 16:13particularly since it can be helpful
- 16:15in their own treatment options.
- 16:18Same thing with pancreatic cancer.
- 16:19This is a relatively new development
- 16:22since about 2019.
- 16:23I guess it's not so recent, but all things.
- 16:26But when I started in order
- 16:28for pancreatic cancer to be,
- 16:30someone meet criteria,
- 16:31they will need additional family history,
- 16:34which is now not the case.
- 16:36Pancreatic cancer based on newer literature,
- 16:38kind of similar to metastatic
- 16:41prostate cancer,
- 16:41is more likely to have a germline
- 16:44mutation than more common cancers,
- 16:46so given that.
- 16:47If so,
- 16:48given that that's why pancreatic
- 16:50cancer at any age is clinically
- 16:53indicated for genetic testing.
- 16:55Also, because there is treatment options.
- 17:00And also,
- 17:00if there's three cases of the same
- 17:03cancer or or associated cancers
- 17:04on the same side of the family,
- 17:06so someone who has breast cancer and
- 17:09two relatives with breast cancer or
- 17:12someone with breast breast cancer,
- 17:14some cousin with ovarian cancer,
- 17:16someone,
- 17:17a man with prostate cancer and
- 17:19his mother with breast cancer.
- 17:20So those cancers all in the family is.
- 17:23If you were seeing that especially
- 17:25multiple generations,
- 17:26multiple relatives is definitely worth over.
- 17:30Referral.
- 17:32And finally,
- 17:33someone who has multiple primary cancers,
- 17:35such as someone who has breast and
- 17:38ovarian cancer and bilateral breast cancer,
- 17:41may be worth the referral.
- 17:43Bilateral breast cancer if there's
- 17:45no other family history and with
- 17:47depending on the age and may not meet
- 17:50insurance criteria for genetic testing,
- 17:52but it is worth a referral just for us
- 17:55to fully flush out the family history
- 17:57and talk about that with the patient.
- 18:02So this is similar to the previous slide,
- 18:05but for just those patients with
- 18:07only a family history of cancer.
- 18:09Something to consider is someone
- 18:11who is Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry,
- 18:13one in 40 individuals of Ashkenazi
- 18:16Jewish ancestry will have a
- 18:18BRCA one and BRCA 2 mutation.
- 18:20There are three founder mutations
- 18:23that are seen very commonly
- 18:25in the Ashkenazi population.
- 18:2895% of Ashkenazi Jewish
- 18:29individuals who have a BRCA 1.
- 18:32Or BRCA 2 mutation will have
- 18:34one of these three mutations.
- 18:36So it is more common in the
- 18:39Ashkenazi population while in the
- 18:40non Ashkenazy population the risk
- 18:42of a BRCA mutations about one in
- 18:45400 so is significantly increased.
- 18:47What I will say is that without a
- 18:50family history of breast cancer,
- 18:52ovarian, prostate cancer,
- 18:54pancreatic cancer,
- 18:55the likelihood someone would have
- 18:57a mutation is still relatively
- 18:59low and at this point in time
- 19:00there is no recommendations.
- 19:02For general screening of the Ashkenazi
- 19:05Jewish population without a family history,
- 19:08so it is something I think worth
- 19:10to consider for a referral,
- 19:12because at least then we can talk about
- 19:14with the patient and we can go through,
- 19:16go through the family history.
- 19:17But I do want to make that caviar.
- 19:21Kind of similar to the before slide,
- 19:22if someone has at least three breast
- 19:25cancers in the family and their,
- 19:28you know in their mother and their
- 19:29aunt and a cousin again clustered
- 19:31on the same side of the family,
- 19:32that was worth the referral.
- 19:35Someone who has a close relative
- 19:37with breast cancer diagnosed at 45
- 19:40or younger is worth a referral.
- 19:41And someone who has a relative
- 19:44with ovarian cancer.
- 19:45Someone if someone reports out there on
- 19:48how to ovarian cancer that individual
- 19:50does meet criteria based on family history.
- 19:53Same thing with male breast cancer.
- 19:55Having an uncle or father with male
- 19:58breast cancer is a referral is indicated.
- 20:01Pancreatic cancer in a close relative,
- 20:04particularly if specifically
- 20:06if it's apparent.
- 20:07For a child or a sibling that is
- 20:09worth a referral and same thing
- 20:12with metastatic prostate cancer.
- 20:14This in a close male relative.
- 20:17And finally, as before.
- 20:20Leave any close relatives with a
- 20:21combination of the above cancer types.
- 20:23Again, if you're seeing in the same family,
- 20:26prostate, ovarian, breast,
- 20:27pancreatic, any combination of that,
- 20:30that is definitely worth a referral.
- 20:32'cause cancers all can be associated
- 20:34through a single gene mutation.
- 20:37Now switching gears and going
- 20:38to her age right colon cancer.
- 20:40Kind of like with hereditary breast cancer.
- 20:42We cannot talk about her age rate colon
- 20:45cancer without talking about Lynch syndrome.
- 20:47Lynch syndrome is caused by germline
- 20:49mutations in one of the five,
- 20:51so we one of the four mismatch repair
- 20:54proteins or deletions in the Epcam gene.
- 20:57The risk is very dependent upon the gene,
- 21:00especially in the last few years.
- 21:02We've actually realized that the lifetime
- 21:04risks with specifically with mutations.
- 21:07And TM,
- 21:07S2 and MSH six are quite different
- 21:10than the risks associated with them.
- 21:12Which one and MSH.
- 21:132 and that could actually be
- 21:15a whole whole talking in of itself.
- 21:17So I'm not going to go into all the
- 21:19details of how they're different,
- 21:21but essentially the main cancer risks
- 21:24with Lynch syndrome is colorectal cancer
- 21:28and uterine or endometrial cancer.
- 21:30As you can see in this chart,
- 21:32which is mainly based on the high,
- 21:34I would say the more high
- 21:36penetrance genes Emily Quan and H.
- 21:38Two, but there are risk of
- 21:40other types of cancers,
- 21:41including other GI cancers like
- 21:43cancer of the stomach file,
- 21:45duct cancer of the pancreas.
- 21:48You can also see ovarian cancer
- 21:49and women who have Lynch syndrome
- 21:52and cancer of the urinary tract,
- 21:54like the bladder and also individuals
- 21:56with Lynch syndrome can have sebaceous
- 21:58adenomas which are very specific
- 22:00types of skin of skin findings.
- 22:05So when we think about hereditary
- 22:07colon cancer, I often think about in
- 22:09these two buckets where one bucket is
- 22:12what we call nonpolyposis syndromes,
- 22:14which essentially is mainly Lynch syndrome,
- 22:17maybe other hereditary
- 22:18colon cancer syndromes.
- 22:20This just means that someone is at a
- 22:23high risk genetically of colon cancer,
- 22:26but it's not necessarily because they're
- 22:29developing a large number of polyps.
- 22:32The polyps and Lynch syndrome
- 22:33are not numerous like with.
- 22:35Polly process,
- 22:36but the polyps in Lynch syndrome
- 22:38do advance much faster than non
- 22:41lynch syndrome associated polyps.
- 22:43So nonpolyposis syndromes you would
- 22:45see a high risk of colon cancer but
- 22:48not the high risk of numerous polyps.
- 22:51Poly Post syndromes are different
- 22:54because an individual would be
- 22:56genetically predisposed to developing
- 22:58large number of column of colon.
- 23:01Polyps depend.
- 23:02The type is dependent on the the
- 23:04polyposis syndrome and I will.
- 23:06Review those briefly on the next slide,
- 23:08but typically they polyps tend
- 23:10to be numerous, usually over 10,
- 23:13and that numerous those numerous
- 23:15polyps or what's causing the
- 23:17increased risk of colon cancer.
- 23:21So hurry, Polly pulses syndrome.
- 23:23Most people have heard about familial
- 23:26adenomatous polyp ossis or FAP
- 23:28which is characterized by someone
- 23:30developing in the classic form,
- 23:32developing hundreds,
- 23:34possibly up to 1000 adenomatous colon
- 23:37polyps beginning at a very young age,
- 23:40usually in the 20s and 20s.
- 23:42Eat or even younger and for
- 23:45the majority of individuals.
- 23:47If this was left untreated,
- 23:49it's with with a total colectomy.
- 23:52There would, uh,
- 23:53the risk of colon cancer
- 23:54approaches 100% even by age 40,
- 23:57so this is a significant
- 23:59Poly pulses syndrome,
- 24:00attenuated as as the name implies,
- 24:03is attenuated,
- 24:03meaning that the polyps develop
- 24:05at a later age and there can
- 24:07be a smaller number of polyps,
- 24:09such usually over usually over 12
- 24:12/ 20 up to 100 adenomatous polyps,
- 24:16usually beginning in the 30s or 40s
- 24:19fifties and we have seen a variety of.
- 24:22Even very attenuated forms
- 24:24even in our own clinic.
- 24:26So there does appear to be some
- 24:28variability we're discovering map can
- 24:31sometimes mimic attenuated faps UM,
- 24:34but the only difference with that is
- 24:36that the all the cancer syndromes I've
- 24:39talked about or autosomal dominant,
- 24:41meaning someone would need to inherit a
- 24:44single pathogenic variant in one copy
- 24:46of the gene map is autosomal recessive.
- 24:49So for someone to have map,
- 24:51they would need their parents,
- 24:52we need to be carriers.
- 24:54In math,
- 24:54is can present in a similar way too,
- 24:57attenuated faps with again over,
- 25:00usually over a dozen polyps up to
- 25:03100 polyps beginning in someones 40s
- 25:05or or 50s Paula Mac and sometimes
- 25:08present with a more mixed Poly
- 25:10poesis type where there's adenomas
- 25:13but also non adenomatous polyps
- 25:15like hyperplastic polyps and others.
- 25:17Play Seeger syndrome is a is
- 25:20A is a rare syndrome.
- 25:23It presents particularly with
- 25:24Poly pulses of the small bowel.
- 25:27You could also see it in the colon,
- 25:29but the small bowel is the
- 25:30part that's mostly affected.
- 25:32They develop specific pretty agurs polyps.
- 25:34There's other features such as
- 25:37Miko cutaneous pigmentation
- 25:38that's present in childhood around
- 25:40the lips on the fingertips,
- 25:42even on the nostrils,
- 25:44and there isn't also associated risk
- 25:46of breast cancer and pancreatic cancer.
- 25:49Juvenile polyp Ossis syndrome is
- 25:51not related to the age of onset of
- 25:55polyps because is not necessarily mean.
- 25:58Someone develops polyps as
- 25:59a juvenile or a child,
- 26:01but the these individuals develop
- 26:03specific types of juvenile polyps
- 26:06and juvenile polyps are not.
- 26:08They're not common types of polyps to have,
- 26:10so someone who presents with multiple
- 26:14juvenile polyps would warrant
- 26:16investigation or juvenile polipo SIS.
- 26:19And then there's other more newly
- 26:21described Poly closest Jeanswear.
- 26:23The risk there does appear to
- 26:24be some risk of of Poly poesis,
- 26:26but how that presents exactly is less clear.
- 26:32So since there are those,
- 26:33those two buckets,
- 26:34so let's talk about some of the the
- 26:36guidelines for the referral guidelines
- 26:38for her age right colon cancer.
- 26:40So Lynch syndrome and the guidelines
- 26:43on NCCN are a little bit more clear
- 26:47in terms of when to when to refer.
- 26:51I'm not going to go through all of
- 26:53this because I know it's a lot and
- 26:55I'm gonna again distill it down.
- 26:56But essentially it is based in a similar
- 26:59way to BRC wanted to based on the age of
- 27:04diagnosis and the number of people affected.
- 27:07Poly post syndromes.
- 27:08The testing strategy can be as you can see,
- 27:11branched off a lot so as to
- 27:13focus on this part here.
- 27:15Probably most important thing to
- 27:17think about is the number of polyps.
- 27:20It says here over 10 helps me.
- 27:23Over 20 adenomas.
- 27:24We sometimes are more conservative
- 27:27and if we see more than 10 adenomas,
- 27:30it's it's worth a referral just
- 27:32to look at the family history.
- 27:35If someone has exactly 10, you know,
- 27:38depending on their their age,
- 27:40how many colonoscopies they've had.
- 27:42Again, adenomas are common,
- 27:44especially if people get older.
- 27:45So having a few or a couple adenomas is
- 27:48not does not mean someone has Polly Pocest.
- 27:51But something to think about.
- 27:53Also, as someone's age.
- 27:54Also,
- 27:54the size of the polop a young person
- 27:57with a very large adenomas polyp,
- 28:00even with a single a single polyp,
- 28:02may still be worth worth the referral.
- 28:06But these are these are suggestions,
- 28:08so anyone with a colon or uterine
- 28:11and demetral cancer diagnosis
- 28:12under the age of 50 that would be
- 28:15specifically suspicious of Lynch
- 28:16syndrome because we expect to see
- 28:18those cancers at younger ages.
- 28:21Any Lynch syndrome associated cancer,
- 28:23that is microsatellite instable
- 28:26or has abnormal MMR staining
- 28:28by immunohistochemistry.
- 28:29So during it once now here at at a young
- 28:34and haven and offered other other places,
- 28:37they're now doing universal screening
- 28:40of colon and endometrial tumors,
- 28:44which is done through immunohistochemistry.
- 28:46So staining of of the tumor to look for
- 28:49the presence or absence of MMR proteins.
- 28:53For individuals who have Lynch syndrome,
- 28:55if we would expect that those MMR
- 28:58proteins would actually be absent
- 29:01on IHC staining and if those
- 29:03MMR proteins are absent,
- 29:05it actually results in
- 29:07microsatellite instability.
- 29:08So this is something that is
- 29:10on is on pathology.
- 29:11It would comment if there was loss
- 29:13or presence of these proteins if
- 29:16there was microsatellite instability.
- 29:18And so the presence of MMR proteins
- 29:21would actually be reassuring.
- 29:23And it actually would reduce
- 29:24the risk of Lynch syndrome,
- 29:25but that's why any cancer with
- 29:29abnormal IHC missing MMR proteins,
- 29:32regardless of age, is is warrants a referral.
- 29:36As I mentioned before,
- 29:38multiple or you know over over 10
- 29:41or early onset gastro GI polyps,
- 29:44particularly in the in the colon,
- 29:46but also again I mentioned
- 29:48with puts Jaeger syndrome.
- 29:50If there is or there are polyps of the
- 29:53small bowel that can also warrant a referral.
- 29:58And specifically,
- 29:59I would say over 10 adenoma
- 30:01dis or mixed Histology polyps.
- 30:04Meaning if someone had a mix of adenomas
- 30:07or other polyps like hyperplastic polyps
- 30:10that weren't warrant or referral.
- 30:13With since Hammertoe medicine juvenile
- 30:15polyps are more rare polyp types,
- 30:18if we if we see there's essentially
- 30:20a lower threshold
- 30:21for the number of those polyps.
- 30:23So seeing at least five of those polyps
- 30:25could warrant a referral and ***** aggers
- 30:28polyps are a particular type of colon,
- 30:30polyp or small bowel polyp,
- 30:33so if that is confirmed on pathology,
- 30:35at least two it definitely
- 30:38is warrants or referral.
- 30:40I'm adding this here for
- 30:41diffuse gastric cancer.
- 30:42It's not necessarily related to her edge,
- 30:44right colon cancer,
- 30:46but diffuse gastric cancer is
- 30:48a rare type of gastric cancer,
- 30:51and it actually can be related.
- 30:53It is related to win this
- 30:55hereditary related also to lobular
- 30:57risk of lobular breast cancer.
- 31:00So diffuse gastric cancer again is rare.
- 31:03A specific pathology,
- 31:05but definitely diagnosis under
- 31:0750 would warrant or referral.
- 31:10And similar to BRCA one and two,
- 31:12if there's three cases of the same cancer
- 31:16like 3 colon cancers or colon uterine colon,
- 31:20stomach,
- 31:20bladder, stomach,
- 31:21colon all in close relatives
- 31:24and multiple generations.
- 31:26You know looking for those associated
- 31:28cancers that would warrant a referral.
- 31:31And similar for another for BRCA one and
- 31:34two multiple cancers in one individual,
- 31:37such as someone who's had two
- 31:39colon cancers or someone who's
- 31:42had colon and any material cancer.
- 31:44For his patients with with just
- 31:46a family history of cancer.
- 31:48Again, as I mentioned before,
- 31:50someone with at least three colon
- 31:52cancers or Lynch syndrome associated
- 31:54cancers in first and second degree
- 31:57relatives so close relatives.
- 31:59At least one first of your relative
- 32:01with colon or endometrial cancer
- 32:02under the age of 50.
- 32:04So if someone's parent had color,
- 32:06sibling had colon cancer under
- 32:0950 or uterine cancer under 50.
- 32:12And for second or third of your
- 32:13relatives with a combination
- 32:14of the above cancer types,
- 32:16again looking for those patterns of cancer.
- 32:21So I'm I'm. I'm sure everyone here again
- 32:24as I talked about with knows about BRCA
- 32:26one and two Lynch syndrome Poly Pulsus.
- 32:29I want to talk about a few of more
- 32:31rare indications that you may not come
- 32:33across but just something I wanted
- 32:36to bring up as a rare indication.
- 32:38So hereditary paraganglioma and
- 32:40Pheochromocytoma syndrome is is very
- 32:43rare and as as the name implies,
- 32:47individuals or increased risk
- 32:49to develop rare tumor.
- 32:52Here is called Paraganglioma
- 32:54and pheochromocytomas,
- 32:56so they develop from specific
- 32:57nerve nerve cells.
- 32:58The the chromaffin cells and
- 33:00paragangliomas developed along the
- 33:02Para vertebral axis from the base
- 33:04of the skull to the pelvis so they
- 33:06can show up in the head and neck.
- 33:08They can show up in the abdomen.
- 33:10Pheochromocytomas are a specific
- 33:12type of paraganglioma that is
- 33:15confined to the adrenal medula.
- 33:18Both of these tumors can
- 33:20secrete calcaneus specifically.
- 33:22Feos almost always secrete
- 33:24these excess of hormones,
- 33:27so someone who has a pheochromocytoma can
- 33:29actually present with severe hypertension,
- 33:32flushing, sweating,
- 33:33heart palpitations.
- 33:35The majority of these tumors are benign,
- 33:39but they some of them can be malignant,
- 33:42particularly for some of these
- 33:46hereditary predispositions.
- 33:47So it's something that that's
- 33:49why if some you know a patient
- 33:51presents with a sudden neck, neck,
- 33:53mass or a mass mass in the abdomen,
- 33:56or is complaining of episodes of sweating,
- 34:00fatigue, anxiety, that makes me not fatigue,
- 34:03anxiety, heart palpitations,
- 34:04it's you know it might.
- 34:07It's it's, it's something.
- 34:08Something to think about, you know,
- 34:10maybe a referral to endocrinology.
- 34:12Not saying that everyone that presents
- 34:13with that will have these tumors,
- 34:15'cause they're very rare, but.
- 34:17They are something that we do.
- 34:20We do screen form.
- 34:21We do see patients with these tumors
- 34:23because there is also screening.
- 34:25For individuals who have a
- 34:27hereditary predisposition.
- 34:30Another, more rare hereditary predisposition
- 34:34is hereditary hyperparathyroidism,
- 34:36and I think when people think of
- 34:39hyperparathyroidism, they may not
- 34:40initially think of hereditary cancer.
- 34:42'cause hyperparathyroidism is not
- 34:44a cancer diagnosis, of course,
- 34:47is just an overactive parathyroid gland,
- 34:50but hereditary hyperparathyroidism can
- 34:53be related to other risks of humors,
- 34:57so the most common form of
- 34:59hereditary hyperparathyroidism.
- 35:01Is multiple endocrine neoplasia type
- 35:04one or M1 where the individuals with
- 35:07this with me and one will develop
- 35:11hyperparathyroidism over 90% of
- 35:13the time by the time they are 50,
- 35:16usually when they're in their 20s or 30s
- 35:18and they are at risk of other endocrine
- 35:21tumors of of the endocrine system,
- 35:24such as neuroendocrine tumors of the
- 35:26pancreas of the stomach of carcinoid.
- 35:29So it is important.
- 35:31When someone has particularly early onset
- 35:34hyperparathyroidism to actually evaluate,
- 35:37to evaluate if they have possibly
- 35:40have me in one and possibly some of
- 35:43these less common forms of fresh
- 35:46or hyperparathyroidism because it
- 35:48possibly could mean they might be
- 35:51at risk of other endocrine tumors.
- 35:53So those are just two examples,
- 35:55but just some of the other
- 35:57indications that you know maybe may
- 35:58not immediately come to mind when
- 36:00we think about hereditary cancer.
- 36:02Some of the more rare indications anyone
- 36:06with with medullary thyroid cancer,
- 36:08adrenocortical carcinoma,
- 36:09paraganglioma, pheochromocytoma,
- 36:11or red no blastoma at any age warrants
- 36:16a referral or anyone that has a close
- 36:19relative with any of these cancers.
- 36:22Anyone with any again rare or
- 36:24unusual tumors or physical findings
- 36:26so there are specific skin findings
- 36:29that even if they're benign,
- 36:31they actually can be indicative
- 36:33of a hereditary cancer syndrome,
- 36:35such as sebaceous carcinoma or
- 36:37sebaceous adenomas which we can see
- 36:39with Lynch syndrome or tricholoma
- 36:41which we can see with Cowden syndrome,
- 36:44which is related to the.
- 36:46The P10 gene. Melanoma is is common.
- 36:51The biggest risk factor for
- 36:53Melanoma or any skin cancer is of
- 36:55course fair skin and sun exposure.
- 36:58But if someone's had multiple
- 37:00melanomas usually over over 3,
- 37:03specially if they're at a younger age,
- 37:05that would warrant a referral
- 37:08to cancer genetics to rule out
- 37:11a hereditary Melanoma syndrome.
- 37:13Leukemia in children is unfortunately common,
- 37:16but if there are other rare
- 37:18childhood tumors that might,
- 37:20that would be an indication for
- 37:21a cancer genetics referral,
- 37:23such as again, a Renault blastoma.
- 37:27Sarcoma and osteosarcoma.
- 37:28Some tumors that are diagnosed in
- 37:32children can be indicative of a
- 37:35rare hereditary cancer syndrome.
- 37:38And anyone diagnosed with primary
- 37:40hyperparathyroidism before the age
- 37:42of 50 warrants a referral again,
- 37:44since the most common type of
- 37:48hyperparathyroidism, me and one.
- 37:51I'm hypercalcemia,
- 37:53which often is the first presenting sign
- 37:55that someone has hyperparathyroidism
- 37:57because elevated parathyroid hormone
- 37:59causes an elevation of serum calcium.
- 38:03The almost all people with me and
- 38:05one will have hypercalcemia by
- 38:07the time they're 50,
- 38:08so if someone has hyperparathyroidism
- 38:10before they're 50,
- 38:11that could indicate that you
- 38:14know it is important to rule
- 38:17out another previous position.
- 38:19And I say this for the end because it is
- 38:21not a rare indication,
- 38:22but anyone that has a fame
- 38:24reports a family history,
- 38:25but no mutation in any cancer gene
- 38:30Jersey one MLH one pal B2 ATM.
- 38:33Any cancer gene you know in a cousin,
- 38:37even in a first cousin once removed,
- 38:39if someone is reporting that that is
- 38:42a definite indication for genetic
- 38:44testing and it is very important if
- 38:46a patient is reporting that to you.
- 38:48That you do encourage them to get a
- 38:50copy of their relatives test results,
- 38:52because that can actually be really
- 38:55helpful in their own testing and
- 38:57actually ensuring their tests.
- 38:59Their own testing is accurate.
- 39:03So let's talk about out of pocket
- 39:06genetic casting options and
- 39:07direct to consumer testing.
- 39:09So out of pocket genetic testing options.
- 39:11Luckily in the last few years the
- 39:13cost of genetic testing has gone down
- 39:16significantly in the last several years,
- 39:18so years, years and years ago,
- 39:20over ten years ago,
- 39:21testing may have been a few $1000
- 39:24even just for BRCA one and two.
- 39:26Testing now because the technology is faster,
- 39:30it's better. It's cheaper now.
- 39:33Genetic testing can be performed
- 39:35through a large panel of genes.
- 39:38Again, all the genes that we've talked about.
- 39:40For an out of pocket costs of $250,
- 39:42there are a few commercial
- 39:44labs that are offering this,
- 39:46which has been really excellent because
- 39:48it doesn't prove access to genetic testing
- 39:52for patients without insurance coverage.
- 39:54For those patients who are
- 39:56motivated to pursue genetic testing,
- 39:58even if we don't seal are risk
- 40:00factors in their family.
- 40:01For a hereditary cancer syndrome
- 40:04and just one example here in vitae,
- 40:06they do actually have their own
- 40:08self pay option.
- 40:09Where to be $250 for diagnostic
- 40:13testing and this testing is different
- 40:17than the direct to consumer testing
- 40:21like 23 and me or ancestry.com
- 40:23which this test again detained
- 40:25other other labs is testing is a
- 40:29clinical diagnostic test but other
- 40:31direct to consumer testing like 23
- 40:33and me and ancestry.com is well how
- 40:36I've heard it described.
- 40:38It is like cocktail genetics.
- 40:39It's it's something fun.
- 40:41It's, you know, an ancestry.
- 40:43There's nothing indicating that the
- 40:45ancestry is actually is inaccurate.
- 40:47If anything actually appears
- 40:48to be quite quite accurate,
- 40:50but it's not something that should
- 40:53be used for clinical decision making.
- 40:56So just something to.
- 40:58To think about so.
- 41:01As a as an example,
- 41:04you know,
- 41:04let's say Diana is a 36 year old female.
- 41:07She's in good health.
- 41:08She comes in for an annual exam.
- 41:10She has Spanish ancestry.
- 41:12She's reports her mom had breast
- 41:15cancer 44 and passed away,
- 41:17but no other family history of cancer.
- 41:19And then Diana reports that she sent
- 41:22in a sample for genetic testing at
- 41:2423 and me and that her results were
- 41:27negative for BRCA one and BRCA 2.
- 41:29So the question I have and I was going to do.
- 41:32Cool,
- 41:33but it wasn't working out so
- 41:35I'm just going to.
- 41:37Close the question for
- 41:38you to think about and you
- 41:40can answer out loud where
- 41:42you are or in your head.
- 41:44Are Diane is genetic tests isn't informative.
- 41:48And does she need to be retested
- 41:50for BRCA one and BRCA 2 if
- 41:52her testing is negative?
- 41:53And let's say we actually have the report.
- 41:55Is confirmed does she need to be retested?
- 41:58Is this informative?
- 42:02And the answer is no,
- 42:06and and no so. So so 23andMe?
- 42:10Uhm, it's not to say so.
- 42:13Essentially what is important to
- 42:15know is that 23 NI they do offer
- 42:20testing for BRCA one and BRCA 2.
- 42:23But only selected variants
- 42:26you might remember.
- 42:28I said that earlier in the earlier in
- 42:31the talk I said that there are three
- 42:33specific mutations that are seen commonly
- 42:36in people that are Ashkenazi Jewish.
- 42:38Those are the three variants that.
- 42:41Are being tested for, so for Diana
- 42:44she may not have those variants and.
- 42:47A manned, but she also has Spanish ancestry,
- 42:51so she would not have been expected
- 42:53to have those variants at all,
- 42:55and 23 me does not do full gene
- 42:57sequencing of beers they wanted to.
- 42:59Does not do deletion duplication,
- 43:02and those three mutations are seen
- 43:04almost exclusively in people or
- 43:07Ashkenazi Jewish make up only three
- 43:09of 1000 known pathogenic mutations.
- 43:11So for Diana this is a very uninformative
- 43:14test and she would be recommended to have.
- 43:17Formal BRC wanted two testing gene
- 43:21sequencing and deletion duplication.
- 43:23And that's essentially what
- 43:24direct to consumer testing does.
- 43:26It looks at specific variants,
- 43:28and some of these variants may have a
- 43:30very small effect on health and may have
- 43:33a very questionable effect on health,
- 43:35and it's not.
- 43:35It's not very clear some for
- 43:37some of these variants,
- 43:39for even other diseases,
- 43:41how much risk is actually giving,
- 43:44and if something is not clear exactly how
- 43:46little of the gene that actually looking
- 43:48at so direct to consumer testing is,
- 43:50you know it is something that the the people.
- 43:53Lou,
- 43:54but it's something that should not be
- 43:56used for any clinical determination.
- 43:59What's what some people have been
- 44:01doing is that they can take the raw
- 44:03data from 23 and me and actually
- 44:06upload it to programs like one called
- 44:09promethease that actually builds a
- 44:11personal DNA report by looking at the
- 44:15genotype so they actually they actually
- 44:18can do that at not a large cost,
- 44:21but the problem with that is actually
- 44:23uploading these raw data files.
- 44:25There's actually a high false positive rate.
- 44:29Because just in terms of of how the
- 44:31data is uploaded and how the programs
- 44:34are there is it can actually report
- 44:36a pathogenic mutation that if we
- 44:39look test the patient clinically
- 44:41limitation is not there.
- 44:44So this is so this is is 11
- 44:48figure from from this test which
- 44:51actually showed that out of.
- 44:53Out of the the number of patients that
- 44:55report that had pathogenic variant
- 44:58detected by uploading the raw data,
- 45:0140% were a false positive and you can
- 45:03see most of those were in jeans that
- 45:06we often know about PRC two BRCA,
- 45:08one ATM MLH one related to Lynch syndrome.
- 45:12Check two TB 53 so genes that if
- 45:16someone had a mutation those genes
- 45:19that has clinical significance so
- 45:21individuals if they aren't aware of.
- 45:24The risk of false positives.
- 45:26They may be doing screening or
- 45:29preventative surgeries that may
- 45:30not be indicated so,
- 45:32particularly with things like raw
- 45:34data and direct to consumer testing.
- 45:36If there is a family history
- 45:37and a patient is concerned,
- 45:39the best thing they can do is meet
- 45:41with a genetic counselor and have a
- 45:44clinical test for hereditary cancer.
- 45:46And there are position statements
- 45:48from the National Society of Genetic
- 45:50Counselors about at home testing and
- 45:53things to consider and the American
- 45:55College of Obese and Gynecologists
- 45:57also have a position statement.
- 46:00Actually say quite nicely in their
- 46:02title that it creates confusion,
- 46:04so direct to consumer testing.
- 46:06Again for ancestry.
- 46:07For small things like that
- 46:09is something that again,
- 46:11cocktail genetic something that's fun.
- 46:13But for things like BRCA one and
- 46:15two testing or anything else,
- 46:16it's clinically indicated.
- 46:18Definitely a clinical diagnostic
- 46:21test is warranted,
- 46:22particularly if there's a family history.
- 46:26So let's talk about,
- 46:28you know genetic testing and
- 46:29kind of what would we talk about
- 46:32with with patients so.
- 46:33When we do genetic testing,
- 46:34there are three possible results we
- 46:36can get from a task which will one
- 46:39will stay positive means there is
- 46:41a pathogenic mutation detected in
- 46:43one of the genes analyzed and that
- 46:46there are associated cancer risks.
- 46:48Negative straightforward means
- 46:49that when the genes are analyzed,
- 46:52there's no known pathogenic mutations.
- 46:54The jeans look normal,
- 46:56there's no detectable hereditary cancer risk.
- 46:58And then there's the variant
- 47:01of uncertain significance,
- 47:02which is a variation in a gene.
- 47:05That the laboratory has not yet
- 47:08classified to pathogenic meaning it's
- 47:11causing cancer risk or benign variation,
- 47:14meaning it's just a polymorphism
- 47:17that's actually not impacting the gene.
- 47:20And variants of uncertain significance.
- 47:23They are very.
- 47:24They're quite common,
- 47:25especially when we do larger testing,
- 47:28which we do nowadays.
- 47:29We actually find variants of
- 47:31uncertain significance.
- 47:3220 to 30% of the time.
- 47:34This is an example report,
- 47:37and particularly it's always hard
- 47:39when you get a variant of uncertain
- 47:41significance in a gene like BRCA 2,
- 47:44but most of these variants are
- 47:47reclassified by the laboratory 2 benign.
- 47:50Two normal changes.
- 47:52That's why on the previous slide,
- 47:55if a varying divine stern
- 47:57significance is detected,
- 47:58medical management is not
- 48:00based on that variant.
- 48:02It's based only on personal
- 48:04family history factors.
- 48:05We have seen cases where someone
- 48:08is followed as if they have a
- 48:11real mutation in BRCA 1, BRCA 2,
- 48:14another gene that's actually a
- 48:16variant of uncertain significance
- 48:18and they're screened. They they may.
- 48:21They may have preventive surgery and
- 48:22then they find out in the future.
- 48:24It is actually a benign variation so
- 48:26we always go back to family history
- 48:28to guide management is something
- 48:30we kind of say innocent till proven
- 48:32guilty because most of the time the
- 48:35laboratory will update us with the
- 48:37report when they can get enough
- 48:39information to change their classification.
- 48:41Uhm,
- 48:42no,
- 48:42and actually I already talked about this,
- 48:44so I I've already.
- 48:46I'm I'm when someone step ahead.
- 48:48So really we also I want to mention
- 48:51point out we don't test relatives for
- 48:54variants of uncertain significance,
- 48:56only if it might be helpful in
- 48:59reclassifying that variant,
- 49:01meaning that sometimes it can be
- 49:02helpful to know did the variant come
- 49:05from your momma from your dad because
- 49:07your dad had pancreatic cancer and
- 49:09your mom is 85 and still living so.
- 49:12If the speakers say two variant
- 49:13came from your mom,
- 49:15I we might be less suspicious,
- 49:16but it came from your dad that maybe
- 49:19could maybe could add evidence or at
- 49:21least keep it at the level that it is.
- 49:23So that's why we only really test relatives.
- 49:26If it might be helpful,
- 49:27and reclassifying the the variant.
- 49:30And and this this can be hard for patients.
- 49:33It can be hard to have that uncertainty of.
- 49:36Is this something I'm gonna
- 49:38have to think about?
- 49:39It is something that is actually going
- 49:41to we find out that I'm as positive in
- 49:43the future and it can be hard to how
- 49:46to communicate this to family members.
- 49:48It's you know,
- 49:49it's something members can
- 49:50won't understand it.
- 49:51They might want to be tested for it.
- 49:53So this can be particularly tricky in
- 49:55communicating this with with patients,
- 49:57which is why we do take time
- 50:00before and after.
- 50:01Even before someone has testing to
- 50:02prep them and let them know this
- 50:04isn't this as a possible result,
- 50:06we can find that is quite common.
- 50:10And testing options are, they're all.
- 50:13They're all a little bit different.
- 50:14We do single site testing.
- 50:16If there's a known mutation in the family
- 50:18and no other suspicious cancer history,
- 50:21meaning that there's a mutation.
- 50:24We've confirmed with their report,
- 50:25there's nothing else.
- 50:26In those cases we would test
- 50:29for just that single mutation.
- 50:31Other options for those families
- 50:32where there's not a no mutation
- 50:35is a cancer site specific panel
- 50:37meaning related to genes.
- 50:39Only.
- 50:40Genes that are only related to
- 50:41the cancer is seen in the family,
- 50:43meaning that maybe if there's just
- 50:45breast or varying cancer in the family,
- 50:47limiting it to jeans that have a
- 50:50known association with hereditary
- 50:51breast or ovarian cancer.
- 50:53Well, this colon cancer in the family,
- 50:55keeping it only to hereditary colon cancer,
- 50:58expanded panels.
- 50:59We've been doing more often, meaning that.
- 51:01You look at multiple genes related
- 51:03to several types of cancer,
- 51:05including cancers.
- 51:06We may not even be seeing in
- 51:08someone's family.
- 51:09Such as colon cancer,
- 51:11Melanoma, uterine cancer,
- 51:12stomach cancer.
- 51:13So essentially all the more common horizon
- 51:16right cancer types we often can do that and
- 51:19will be called an expanded panel testing.
- 51:22But panel testing there are considerations
- 51:24because the more genes we look at,
- 51:26the higher chance we'll find something
- 51:28in a hereditary cancer gene,
- 51:30which could be expected
- 51:32or possibly unexpected.
- 51:33Some patients don't want to
- 51:35find an unexpected result,
- 51:37as I mentioned earlier,
- 51:38there are some genes that are
- 51:40included in testing nowadays,
- 51:41particularly panel testing that
- 51:43are have not been studied as long
- 51:46they have an unknown cancer risk,
- 51:48so there may not actually be
- 51:51screening recommendations 'cause for
- 51:52syndrome. Like Lynch syndrome
- 51:54and mutations in BRCA,
- 51:56one of your C2 there are very
- 51:59clear screen recommendations
- 52:00with some of these newer genes.
- 52:02We can find a mutation and still just
- 52:04follow someone based on personal or
- 52:06family history until we learn about
- 52:08what that gene is doing specifically.
- 52:11And as I mentioned earlier that
- 52:13when we do a larger panel probably
- 52:16more standard panel that we do,
- 52:17we find a VUS 20 to 30% of the
- 52:21time so that's that's quite a.
- 52:23A big chunk of the time we find at least one,
- 52:26and so some patients may not want the
- 52:29possibility of finding uncertain results,
- 52:31so something else to also think
- 52:33about when we offer genetic testing.
- 52:35Some of the benefits of genetic testing,
- 52:37you know it can end uncertainty.
- 52:39You know if there is cancer in the family,
- 52:41it can be helpful to know do is there
- 52:43a reason for why there's cancer in
- 52:45my family and do I have the reason
- 52:47for the cancer in the family?
- 52:49If I cancer risks for an individual,
- 52:51so then we know what screening we can.
- 52:53We need to be doing.
- 52:54It can also clarify cancer risks for
- 52:57relatives. If there is a positive result.
- 52:59We then know that other relatives
- 53:00would be at risk of inheriting
- 53:02that same mutation and then they
- 53:05can also have their own testing.
- 53:07And it can aid in medical decision making.
- 53:09Knowing again what screening
- 53:11they should be doing.
- 53:12Is it worth thinking about a
- 53:14prophylactic bilateral mastectomy and
- 53:16that can actually relieving anxiety?
- 53:18There are studies showing that even
- 53:20a positive result could actually
- 53:22be anxiety relieving,
- 53:23because some actually has the answer.
- 53:26They actually know why there's cancer
- 53:28in the family, what's causing it,
- 53:30and they know the specific
- 53:32risks instead of an unknown.
- 53:34There are some risks and
- 53:35limitations to genetic testing,
- 53:37such as a negative result
- 53:39may be uninformative,
- 53:40or it may be falsely reassuring.
- 53:43There are concerns about
- 53:45genetic discrimination,
- 53:46so there are laws in place that do
- 53:48make it illegal for most health
- 53:50insurance companies and most employers
- 53:53from discriminating against someone
- 53:54with a positive genetic test result,
- 53:57but these do not apply to things
- 54:00like life insurance,
- 54:01long term care or disability and it actually.
- 54:04Possibly could impact fitness
- 54:06for duty in the military,
- 54:08so it is something to think about
- 54:10when someone has genetic testing.
- 54:13You know what policies they have in place?
- 54:15Are they actively serving in the
- 54:17military just to just to think about?
- 54:19In timing of testing,
- 54:21might not be optimal depending
- 54:22on someone's current.
- 54:24Current lifestyle or current current
- 54:26plans and Shank testing is an option.
- 54:29Even though there are
- 54:30clinical recommendations,
- 54:31it is an option and for some
- 54:33patients they actually prefer not
- 54:34to know if they have hereditary
- 54:36risk of cancer and they may not
- 54:38wish to know future cancer risks.
- 54:39There are limitations in the testing,
- 54:42so it is possible even though are the
- 54:45testing technology has grown a lot,
- 54:47though there are sometimes undetectable
- 54:50mutations and current technology that
- 54:52could be missed in a known hereditary
- 54:54cancer gene testing technology will
- 54:56change and improve overtime just
- 54:58like it has in the last ten years.
- 55:00But that is a limitation and not all
- 55:03inherited cancer syndromes are known.
- 55:05So in the future kind of like I
- 55:08mentioned with BRCA one and BRCA 2.
- 55:10Four 2013 is out is outdated.
- 55:14Is possible I could be saying
- 55:16in you know 2030 if any test
- 55:19after 20 before 2033 is outdated.
- 55:21You know we are likely learn more about
- 55:24inherited cancer syndromes and new genes.
- 55:26So more testing may be needed in the future
- 55:29to help clarify risk for some families.
- 55:32And this is an example of.
- 55:34Uninformative genetic testing,
- 55:36where the probe and two were there.
- 55:39The circle there is pointing to
- 55:41she's had negative genetic testing,
- 55:43but has a very striking family history,
- 55:45so her testing is really not
- 55:47informative and it's not someone
- 55:49that you feel comfortable saying oh
- 55:51you are at average risk for cancer.
- 55:54We always go back to family history
- 55:56to This is why we go back to family
- 55:58history to guys screening until we
- 56:00can get informative relative tested
- 56:02and determine is is there a familial.
- 56:05Mutation,
- 56:06but maybe this probe and did not inherit.
- 56:09Which is why, again,
- 56:10it is very important for sometimes
- 56:12testing the affected relative first,
- 56:14and if that relative has had genetic
- 56:16testing it is really important for
- 56:18you to be talking to your patients
- 56:20and explaining it is important to
- 56:22get those medical records for us.
- 56:26Engineer counseling in the session,
- 56:27what would I do and will my colleagues do?
- 56:30It's really a combination of education,
- 56:33talking about the diagnosis
- 56:35of hereditary cancers,
- 56:36syndromes offering psychosocial support,
- 56:39advocating for our patients,
- 56:41talking about talking about risks.
- 56:43So it is really this.
- 56:45We're we're here for resource for,
- 56:47for patients were also here
- 56:49for resource for you.
- 56:50You know,
- 56:51in terms of in terms of risk
- 56:54assessments and patients going forward.
- 56:56The main I'll go through some of
- 56:58this this briefly 'cause I don't
- 57:00wanna go over too much overtime,
- 57:02but there is a lot.
- 57:05There's a lot in a genetic counseling
- 57:08session where we go through medical history.
- 57:11We take a detailed family history.
- 57:13We talked about the risk factors.
- 57:14We've seen, the family,
- 57:15we do, a risk assessment.
- 57:17We talk about specific genes or specific
- 57:19syndromes the patient may be at risk for.
- 57:22We talk about,
- 57:23you know the what hereditary cancer is,
- 57:26why we do testing.
- 57:28What screening would change
- 57:29if someone was positive?
- 57:31You know why are we doing
- 57:32this testing at all?
- 57:33We talk about different testing
- 57:35options in terms of limited
- 57:37panels or expanded panels.
- 57:39There's research.
- 57:39Of course we coordinate the testing we
- 57:42call the patients with their results,
- 57:44explain their results,
- 57:45and then of do any follow up in terms
- 57:48of referrals to specialists and also
- 57:50just be a resource for the patient.
- 57:52Transfer information,
- 57:53so for what you can do to help,
- 57:56have your patients prepare
- 57:57probably the most important thing
- 57:59is to encourage their patients
- 58:01to collect their family history.
- 58:02So if you place a referral
- 58:04for cancer genetics,
- 58:05the most helpful thing is for
- 58:07that patient to be talking to
- 58:09relatives getting that information,
- 58:11particularly if there's no mutation,
- 58:13it's very important for to have
- 58:15that confirmed with records.
- 58:16It actually can be impact the accuracy
- 58:19of the patient's own testing,
- 58:20which some patients may not understand.
- 58:23There can be differences in laboratories
- 58:25and detecting specific variants,
- 58:27so we cannot confirm what lab or
- 58:30what specific variant or relative
- 58:31had it's possible the patient
- 58:33could get an uninformative or
- 58:35even a false negative result,
- 58:37so anything any medical
- 58:39records from relatives,
- 58:40any information is very helpful.
- 58:45Which I just you know,
- 58:46bring those milk records visit to the visits.
- 58:49And. And again, encourage them to get
- 58:53copies of any any genetic test results.
- 58:57So after the referral, it takes about,
- 59:00UM, the initial jet counseling visit is
- 59:0360 minutes. They are sent a questionnaire.
- 59:06And the patient schedules an appointment.
- 59:08They do a very brief intake.
- 59:10Again, the initial genetic counseling
- 59:12visit takes about 60 minutes.
- 59:14We again go through that that whole
- 59:16session and the cases are reviewed.
- 59:18Our weekly cancer genetics and prevention
- 59:21program the just out of a meeting where
- 59:24we review all the cases altogether.
- 59:27Patients are disclosed.
- 59:28The results over the phone or in person.
- 59:30If the patient prefers and the
- 59:32patient does get a copy of their
- 59:35results and a detailed summary letter.
- 59:37So I guess I'll just end this by saying,
- 59:40uhm, you don't have to be the
- 59:43experts on her Ezra Cancer.
- 59:45We care for a resource for you.
- 59:47You're really, you know,
- 59:47the the front,
- 59:48the front line for these patients to really
- 59:50gauge their personal and family history.
- 59:52So I really just less last thing I'll say,
- 59:56and I think everyone for your attention
- 59:59and is a pleasure talking everyone.
- 01:00:01And I will take any questions.
- 01:00:07Hi Amy, thanks for a great
- 01:00:09talk that was really you.
- 01:00:11You managed to pack in a lot there so
- 01:00:14thank you so much I do just want to
- 01:00:16let all of the attendees know that the
- 01:00:19session is being recorded and a link to
- 01:00:21the recording will be on our website.
- 01:00:24So if you wanna go back and listen
- 01:00:26to parts of Amy's talk you will
- 01:00:28have access to that in the future.
- 01:00:30We also have a number of resources on
- 01:00:33our website including fact sheets that
- 01:00:35you and your patients may find helpful so.
- 01:00:37And encourage everyone to
- 01:00:39look at their website.
- 01:00:40And I believe that, UM,
- 01:00:42the website will be included and
- 01:00:45post conference communications soum.
- 01:00:47We'd like to encourage people to enter
- 01:00:51some questions for Amy in the Q&A and Amy,
- 01:00:54we do have a couple here,
- 01:00:56and so the first one,
- 01:00:58the first question we have,
- 01:01:00is whether Gardner's syndrome
- 01:01:02is something separate or whether
- 01:01:05that actually is attenuated.
- 01:01:08Uhm Polly process.
- 01:01:10Great, great question.
- 01:01:12So Gardner syndrome is I would
- 01:01:14say it's an outdated syndrome.
- 01:01:17It was mainly used to describe
- 01:01:20if someone had specific.
- 01:01:23Less common features that we
- 01:01:26would see with classic faps,
- 01:01:28but we know now that people
- 01:01:30with Gardner syndrome do have
- 01:01:32pathogenic mutations in a PC,
- 01:01:35so we really just prefer to
- 01:01:38call it faps or attenuated faps.
- 01:01:41So it's not so I would say
- 01:01:43the answer to your question.
- 01:01:45They they are the same.
- 01:01:47They just said Gardner syndrome was house,
- 01:01:50certain phenotypes were were described,
- 01:01:53particularly some of the less
- 01:01:55common features of of faps like
- 01:01:58extra teeth and things like
- 01:02:00that oftentimes was described
- 01:02:02with the four Gardner syndrome,
- 01:02:04but nowadays it is packaged together.
- 01:02:07But that is an important point
- 01:02:09that some people still use some
- 01:02:11of the older terminology.
- 01:02:12For Gardner syndrome.
- 01:02:13So if someone does report a family
- 01:02:16history of Gardner syndrome,
- 01:02:17even though that's may not be
- 01:02:19a term we use currently,
- 01:02:20that would also warrant a referral.
- 01:02:26And the next question we
- 01:02:28have is an interesting one.
- 01:02:30There's an attendee who's wondering
- 01:02:32if we think the ages at the time
- 01:02:36of diagnosis are getting younger
- 01:02:38in subsequent generations.
- 01:02:40So, for example,
- 01:02:41if someone's mother had breast
- 01:02:43cancer at 55 with a BRCA mutation,
- 01:02:47are we seeing her daughter
- 01:02:49who has a mutation having her
- 01:02:51breast cancer earlier in life?
- 01:02:54That is, that's a great question.
- 01:02:58As with with BRCA one and BRCA 2 this
- 01:03:02and we we often call this in genetics
- 01:03:06anticipation where the phenotype appears
- 01:03:08to present at a younger and younger age.
- 01:03:13There's no known evidence of
- 01:03:16anticipation in BRCA one and BRCA 2.
- 01:03:20It's it's it's. It's hard to say,
- 01:03:22but there can be what we
- 01:03:24call variable expressivity,
- 01:03:25meaning that someone could have
- 01:03:27the same mutation and beers
- 01:03:28they want to be receipt to,
- 01:03:30but they will not always develop
- 01:03:32breast cancer at the same
- 01:03:34age or even develop breast.
- 01:03:36You know someone made available
- 01:03:37varying cancer or or breast cancer,
- 01:03:39which we call variable expressivity.
- 01:03:41So that might explain why in some
- 01:03:43families it does appear that Amma,
- 01:03:45a mother may have breast cancer at a later
- 01:03:48age and her daughter has breast cancer and.
- 01:03:50Earlier age,
- 01:03:51not because of something like anticipation,
- 01:03:54but possibly do that variable expressivity.
- 01:03:57Although I do,
- 01:03:58I do know that there was some older data.
- 01:04:00I think Claire you mentioned this
- 01:04:02to me a few years ago where there
- 01:04:05is some data suggesting maybe
- 01:04:06anticipation with Lee from Mini
- 01:04:08syndrome where individuals actually
- 01:04:10appear to develop Lee from many
- 01:04:12syndrome associated cancers,
- 01:04:14particularly breast cancer at younger
- 01:04:17age and subsequent generations I.
- 01:04:20In terms of additional research on that,
- 01:04:22I have not seen anything recent about that,
- 01:04:25but I know there was some hypothesis
- 01:04:28that leaf armenie syndrome may
- 01:04:30have some level of anticipation.
- 01:04:32But in terms of other hereditary
- 01:04:34breast cancer syndromes,
- 01:04:34there's none that we know of yet.
- 01:04:40Yeah, and I would just add that even
- 01:04:42with these hereditary cancer syndromes,
- 01:04:44the mutation is not the only
- 01:04:46contributing factor to cancer risk.
- 01:04:48Lifestyle environment.
- 01:04:49All of those things still play
- 01:04:51a role in cancer development,
- 01:04:54and so it's possible that some
- 01:04:56of those earlier cancer diagnosis
- 01:04:58that you're you're mentioning
- 01:04:59are related to other factors
- 01:05:02outside of the genetic mutation,
- 01:05:04or in addition to the genetic mutation.
- 01:05:07And I think we still have a
- 01:05:09lot to learn about hereditary.
- 01:05:10Cancer genetics we've come a long way.
- 01:05:12We know a lot and they will learn
- 01:05:14more and perhaps some of these
- 01:05:16hereditary cancer syndromes do,
- 01:05:18in fact have anticipation.
- 01:05:19And we just don't know yet.
- 01:05:25Those are all the questions
- 01:05:26that were entered into the Q&A,
- 01:05:28so I don't know if any of our
- 01:05:30panelists have any questions or if
- 01:05:32we want to give people just a minute
- 01:05:35in case any other questions come up.
- 01:05:40Maybe while waiting I'll post a
- 01:05:42question Amy that was a great talk.
- 01:05:45So quick question.
- 01:05:46You just you went over very nicely
- 01:05:48about what happened with Brad.
- 01:05:50Can white people got retested
- 01:05:52then and then towards the end?
- 01:05:54You also discuss a little bit
- 01:05:55more that there may be some.
- 01:05:56Uh, in the future,
- 01:05:59opportunities for bettering the
- 01:06:00testing and actually being able to
- 01:06:02detect a few more number 4 so when
- 01:06:05do you think people will will have
- 01:06:07to consider re sending the patient?
- 01:06:10Who previously had tested negative.
- 01:06:12I'm talking in general terms.
- 01:06:13What do you think would be a general
- 01:06:16recommendation that we could follow
- 01:06:18in terms of in terms of that?
- 01:06:20That's a, that's a.
- 01:06:22That's a great question,
- 01:06:23and it's something that patients also ask me.
- 01:06:25Even now they they say, well,
- 01:06:27when should I call you?
- 01:06:28You know, for more testing, I think it's.
- 01:06:31It's hard now that testing has gone so
- 01:06:34comprehensive, I would say so quickly.
- 01:06:37Even the last five years.
- 01:06:38What I've been saying.
- 01:06:39What I was saying to patients,
- 01:06:41and this is,
- 01:06:42but again,
- 01:06:43this is not something that's
- 01:06:44really hard and fast rule.
- 01:06:46I would say at least five
- 01:06:48years to check back,
- 01:06:50unless there was a change in someone's
- 01:06:53family history like a new cancer diagnosis,
- 01:06:55that possibly could mean that other
- 01:06:57genes related to that diagnosis
- 01:06:59were not included in the testing.
- 01:07:01But if there's no changes.
- 01:07:03Someone's personal or family history.
- 01:07:05I would say every five years
- 01:07:08is a good place to check,
- 01:07:09and it's possible even in
- 01:07:11five years from now.
- 01:07:12Maybe it's it might not change as much,
- 01:07:16but I can't imagine the testing jumping
- 01:07:19to such a huge amount of clinical
- 01:07:22significance in less than five years.
- 01:07:25I don't know Clearview any other
- 01:07:27thoughts on that in particular?
- 01:07:30No, I agree. I mean,
- 01:07:31I think the testing technology doesn't.
- 01:07:33It changes quickly,
- 01:07:34but not that quickly.
- 01:07:36So five years is probably a good.
- 01:07:39An estimate, but I would also just reiterate
- 01:07:41one other thing that you said there.
- 01:07:43If the personal or family history changes,
- 01:07:46that's another really important
- 01:07:47touch point for patients to
- 01:07:49get back in contact with us,
- 01:07:51because that could certainly change things,
- 01:07:55so those are good time point
- 01:07:57to consider re evaluation.
- 01:08:02Right, I think that's it for question.
- 01:08:05So Amy, thanks again for your talk
- 01:08:07and we hope that everyone will
- 01:08:09join us next week for the second
- 01:08:12half of this seminar series.
- 01:08:16Thank you everyone. Have a good night.