Dr. Veda N. Giri, MD, presented “The Role of Genetic Testing for Inherited Prostate Cancer Risk” at the Philadelphia Prostate Cancer Consensus 2017.
The Role of Genetic Testing for Inherited Prostate Cancer Risk
Summary:
Dr. Veda N. Giri, MD, commenced the Philadelphia Prostate Cancer Consensus 2017 by explaining the purpose and need for creating updated, centralized guidelines regarding genetic testing for inherited prostate cancer.
She summarizes the scientific research advances since 1999 which prove the link between genetic mutations, especially BRCA and BRCA2. Also, researchers identified HOXB13 as the first hereditary prostate cancer gene. Then, Dr. Giri relates these scientific advances to a rise in clinical capabilities, such as next generation sequencing technology and prostate cancer multigene panel testing.
Presently, the state of knowledge and practices regarding genomics and prostate cancer is nebulous. Therefore, the urological community needs centralized, comprehensive guidelines to describe the proper approach for genetic testing for prostate cancer.
During the Philadelphia Prostate Cancer Consensus 2017, experts in urology, urologic oncology, and genomics aimed to finalize a draft for the guidelines.
Dr. Giri urged the conference members to focus on addressing the criteria for referring a patient, how is genetic counseling relevant to men at risk for prostate cancer, which genes to test, and how this informs the management of patients.
Up next: “The Burden of Prostate Cancer Today and in the Future” by Dr. Patrick Walsh, MD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Veda N. Giri, MD is a medical oncologist specializing in clinical cancer genetics. Dr. Giri is Division Chief of Clinical Cancer Genetics for Yale School of Medicine and Assistant Director of Clinical Cancer Genetics at Yale Cancer Center, where she leads an effort in cancer genetic evaluation for precision medicine, tailored cancer screening, and hereditary cancer assessment.
Dr. Giri has had a focused research interest in developing the field of genetic counseling and genetic testing for inherited prostate cancer. Dr. Giri started the first Men’s Genetic Risk Clinic in the US in 2014 focused on genetic evaluation of inherited prostate cancer in the setting of multidisciplinary care. Dr. Giri also co-chaired the 2017 and 2019 Philadelphia Prostate Cancer Consensus Conferences that addressed development of comprehensive frameworks for genetic evaluation and implementation of genetic testing for prostate cancer. She is the Principal Investigator of multiple grant-funded prostate cancer genetic evaluation studies spanning genetic counseling, genetic testing, disparities, behavioral science, and implementation research. Dr. Giri has vested interest to expand research to address the genetic evaluation needs of cancer patients and community populations.
