The aim of the Familial Cancer Risk Core is to offer a unique resource to obtain clinical samples and data for Cancer Center members who study hereditary cancer syndromes and high-risk families. Investigations of this cancer susceptible population encompass epidemiology, behavioral and health policy aspects, basic science, and clinical trials of treatment and prevention. As of August 2001, the Core has registered 1500 subjects at increased risk for cancer, of whom over 700 have agreed to provide clinical data, DNA, and tissue for research purposes through IRB-approved protocols. Over half of these subjects have been specifically genotyped for hereditary cancer gene mutations. Located at the Mount Zion Hospital and UCSF Cancer Clinic Building (with a satellite clinic in Sacramento), the Familial Cancer Risk Core is administered directly by the Cancer Center. Clinical services provide an assessment of individual cancer risk within families that display a hereditary cancer pattern in order to minimize the risk of cancer. As a shared resource, the Core will provide the following services to the Cancer Center members: (1) clinical genetic expertise for pedigree building and verification, investigation of familial genetic syndromes, and research of germline mutations and cancer modifier genes; (2) access to a database of genotyped subjects with hereditary cancer for identification of patient subsets and suitable controls; (3) availability of clinical specimens (DNA, tissue) with correlative clinical and epidemiological data and clinical outcomes from probands and families with genetically verified hereditary cancer; (4) availability of cancer families for clinical trials of early cancer detection and prevention, as well as opportunities for ethical, health policy, behavioral, and psychosocial research; and (5) clinical genetic services and an educational website that can speed translational genetic discoveries (e.g. modifier genes) to clinical application.
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