Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s Hereditary and High-Risk Screening Program has seen an increase in the number of referrals receiving 3,000 since the establishment of Hereditary Cancer and High-Risk Screening Clinic.
The clinic offers pre-genetic counselling, genetic testing, post-genetic assessments with aims to decrease cancer risk, early detection, and risk reducing strategies since the establishment of the Clinic, said Dr. Salha Bujassoum, Senior Consultant, chairperson of medical oncology, palliative care medicine and Director of Hereditary and High-Risk Screening Program.
“Greater awareness of the role genetics can play in causing certain cancers, as well as increased knowledge of the screening tools available at HMC, has led to more patients requesting genetic counseling and testing,” Dr. Bujassoum told The Peninsula.
According to Dr. Bujassoum, the genetic counselling and testing service, which is part of the Hereditary and High-Risk Screening Clinic at the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), provides a comprehensive genetic risk assessment for patients who are concerned about their hereditary cancer risk because of a personal and/or family history.
“From 2013 until 2015, the cancer genetics program primarily focused on patients with potential risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. In 2016, the program expanded to encompass other patients at elevated risk of other cancers that can be of hereditary etiology, including but not limited to gastrointestinal, endocrine, gynecological, dermatological, urological, hematological, and other types of rare cancers, and cancer syndromes,” said Dr. Bujassoum.
The multidisciplinary clinic aims to identify patients at high risk of developing cancer due to personal history of young-onset of cancer diagnosis, a strong family history of cancer, or family of a positive genetic test result.
“A visit to the cancer genetics clinic usually includes time with both a dedicated medical oncologist and a genetic counsellor, both of whom are expertise in common and rare inherited cancer syndromes. By working closely with referring physicians, the team designs individualised programmes to monitor patients for the earliest signs of cancer as well as to institute preventative measures where possible,” said Dr. Bujassoum.
The programme currently holds three weekly genetic counselling clinics, evaluating on average 6–12 patients per clinic, and two weekly clinics for surveillance, the latter of which is run by medical oncologists and which sees on average 12 patients per clinic.
“If testing results are positive, then the patients are often seen in a combined session by the genetic counselor and the medical oncologist for further discussion on risk-reducing strategies including (as relevant to the specific situation) prophylactic surgery, chemo-prevention, and surveillance. If a patient tests positive in cancer genetic test result, they can benefit from targeted treatment which can improve patient survival. For example target medication is ‘Olaparib’ for a patient who is diagnosed with breast cancer and also for those having BRCA genetic mutation. Patients are often referred to additional specialists for their surveillance and are also followed regularly by the cancer genetics program,” said Dr. Bujassoum.
