Cancer Genetics Program For someone with a family history of breast and other cancers, Melanie was acutely aware of the disease that could one day strike her next. Breast cancer took Melanie’s mother as well as a cousin. Her sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at age 35. “I always felt that there should be something that I could be doing,” says Melanie. “I wanted to be proactive with my health.” When Melanie’s mother was being treated at Rush-Copley, Melanie was introduced to RushCopley’s Cancer Genetics Program. The Cancer Genetics Program at Rush-Copley offers genetic testing, risk education and prevention to people who are concerned about their personal and family histories of cancer and who might have a genetic alteration that greatly increase their risk of getting the disease. “Our program specializes in making cancer genetics understandable,” say Mira Vujovic, an APN and certified genetic counselor at RushCopley. “We provide the information people need in order to make their own decisions about testing and medical management. If the results identify a mutation that predisposes him or her to cancer, we work with that person to develop a personalized plan of care which includes prevention and screening and then partner with the patient’s healthcare team to implement it.” As Mira explains, all cancers are due to changes in genes, called mutations. If a person is born with a gene mutation that leads to cancer, it is called a hereditary cancer. It is important to identify families with a genetic predisposition to cancer because, in many cases, they may take steps to reduce their risk or prevent cancer from occurring. 6
Many genes have been identified that may contribute to the development of multiple types of cancer including breast, ovarian, colorectal, endometrium, thyroid, pancreatic and melanoma. Genetic counseling, however, involves much more than just taking a test to see whether a gene mutation is present. There are many factors that contribute to a person’s risk for cancer, such as family history, lifestyle and age. Genetic counselors look at all of these at once to determine who would benefit best from genetic counseling. During Melanie’s first meeting with Mira, she learned about the blood tests, possible risks such as the psychological implications, and what a positive or negative result means. At her next visit, Melanie had blood taken for genetic testing. Melanie tested positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation, which significantly increases a person’s risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. Although Melanie had no physical signs of either cancer, the gene’s presence compounded by her family history increased her risk for cancer.
With the results, Mira and Melanie discussed the options and doctors who could help with the next steps Among the options for Melanie were a prophylactic mastectomy and oophorectomy to remove breast tissue and the ovaries before cancer developed. “Patients who opt for this choice can lower their risk of cancer greatly,” Mira says. “But women struggle with weighing the loss of these
Rush-Copley Cancer Care Center Annual Report