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History

The Hereditary Cancer Program (HCP) was founded in 1996 by a combined effort on behalf of the BC Cancer Agency (BCCA) and the B.C. Provincial Medical Genetics Program. (Cite) Staffed by pathologists, oncologists, genetic counselors and medical geneticists, the HCP is dedicated to educating health-care professionals, as well as providing “information and genetic counseling for individuals and families with a strong history of cancer” (Cite). The main goals of the HCP are to “increase the effectiveness of genetic testing by focusing its use on those individuals and families for whom it is most likely to be informative” and to reduce the utilization of unnecessary medical procedures and the attendant anxiety (such as intensive screening, testing, and surgery) by accurately identifying mutation carriers and non-carriers within families”. (Cite W)

What is Hereditary Cancer?

Main Article: Cancer syndrome

While anyone is capable of developing cancer, the cause of most cancers is not due to a hereditary risk. (Cite) In fact, it is estimated that only 5-10% of all cancers are a result of inheriting genes mutations (Cite). Some common hereditary cancers include breast cancer, ovarian cancer, hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer and hereditary intestinal polyposis syndrome (Peutz–Jeghers syndrome). Hereditary Cancer usually develops at an earlier stage in life than other forms of cancer and is caused by changes (or mutations) in specific genes which are passed from one blood relative to another. (Cite)

You are at risk of Hereditary Cancers if:

2 or more closely related family members with the same type of cancer
A pattern of cancer over at least 2 generations runs in your family
Blood related family members had cancers diagnosed at an earlier age than expected in the general population
Multiple primary cancers in an individual
An unusual clustering of cancers in you or a blood relative
A pattern of cancers associated with a known hereditary syndrome runs in your family (Cite)

Genetic Counseling

Main Article: Genetic Counseling

A genetic counselor is a medical professional who has had special training in the field of medical genetics and counseling. (CiteW) Genetic counselors are trained to help families detect their susceptibility inherited disorders and assess their risks of possibly passing on gene mutations to their children (CiteT). At the HCP, “The goal of genetic counseling is to help people to learn more about hereditary forms of cancer and to understand their own risk of developing cancer”. (CiteW) HCP genetic counselors will determine what options are available to your family, whether genetic testing is available, and what would be the best possible index case for your family.

Genetic Testing

Main Article Genetic testing

Mutations that cause hereditary cancers are frequently initiated by changes of a single DNA nucleotide within a specific gene on a specific chromosome. (Cite T) We do not know yet, why these changes or mutations happen, but we can still detect a mutation, or predict if a mutation could happen by genetic testing. Genetic testing examines an individual’s genotype (their genetic makeup) against that of a gene database, looking for one or more Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in specific genes that could cause the gene to stop functioning correctly, and thus lead to abnormal cell growth.

If the HCP’s genetic counselors decide that genetic testing would be useful to you or your family, they will proceed with either index testing, usually given to a family member with a type of hereditary cancer, or carrier testing, to examine if your family members also have the same gene mutation that is already confirmed in the family. (CiteW) HCP’s Genetic counselors will guide you through the process and help you interpret your results because the process is lengthy. There are, after all, believed to be around 20,000 - 25,000 genes in the human genome. (Cite)

External Links

http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/PPI/Prevention/Hereditary/default.htm -- BC Cancer Agency

http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/default.htm -- Hereditary Cancer Program