A Mini-Symposium: Implementing Precision and Equitable Public Health in Cascade Testing for Genetic Disorders

February 10, 2022, 1:00 pm -3:00 pm ET

While there are Tier 1 evidence-based guidelines supporting cascade testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome, Lynch syndrome, familial hypercholesterolemia, and other genetic disorders, the focus is on whether such testing should be done, rather than how to implement cascade testing in practice, both effectively and equitably. Before the full potential health impact of cascade genetic testing can be reached, we must develop a much stronger understanding of which component procedures and practices work best, and then leverage those good practices toward delivering precision public health.

This two-hour virtual mini-symposium will explore several efforts to better understand what works well in programs relevant to cascade testing for genetic disorders. Presentations will be 20 minutes each, followed by a brief period for discussion and questions from the audience.

Moderator

Chanita Hughes-Halbert, PhD

Vice Chair for Research and Professor, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences
Associate Director for Cancer Equity, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Southern California

Barriers and Facilitators to Effective & Equitable Cascade Screening

Megan Roberts, PhD

Assistant Professor,
Director, Implementation Science in Precision Health & Society,
Eshelman School of Pharmacy
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
Chapel Hill, NC

Genetic Testing by Ethnicity in a Population-Based, Publicly Funded Hereditary Cancer Program

Angela Bedard, MS, CGC

Genetic Counsellor,
BC Cancer,
Abbotsford, BC

Kasmintan Schrader, MBBS, FRCPC, PhD, DABMG

Program Medical Co-Director Hereditary Cancer,
BC Cancer,
Vancouver, BC

A Traceback Cascade Screening Program in Ovarian Cancer

Alanna Kulchak Rahm, PhD, MS, CGC

Associate Professor,
Dissemination and Implementation,
Genomic Medicine Institute,
Geisinger,
Danville, PA

Mitigating Inequities in Screening for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes

Laura Senier, PhD, MPH

Associate Professor,
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
and Department of Health Sciences,
Northeastern University,
Boston, MA

HIPAA, Ethical, and Logistic Considerations in Cascade Testing

Nora B. Henrikson, PhD, MPH

Assistant Investigator,
Kaiser Permanente,
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute,
Seattle, WA

Selected References

Roberts MC, et al. 2018. Delivery of Cascade Screening for Hereditary Conditions: A Scoping Review of the Literature. Health Affairs (Millwood) 37(5):801-808.
Braley, EF, et al. 2021. Patient ethnicity and cascade genetic testing: a descriptive study of a publicly funded hereditary cancer program. Familial Cancer Jul 7, online ahead of print.
Di Nucci A, et al. 2021. Feasibility and Assessment of a Cascade Traceback Screening Program (FACTS): Protocol for a Multisite Study to Implement and Assess an Ovarian Cancer Traceback Cascade Testing Program. Journal of Personalized Medicine 11(6):543.
Senier L, et al. 2019. Blending Insights from Implementation Science and the Social Sciences to Mitigate Inequities in Screening for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16(20):3899.
Henrikson NM, et al. 2020. What guidance does HIPAA offer to providers considering familial risk notification and cascade genetic testing? Journal of Law and the Biosciences 7(1):1-14.

Hosted by

Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health, Office of Science