Webinar - Early Detection is the Best Protection: Cancer Surveillance for Children with an Underlying Cancer Predisposition Syndrome

On-demand Webinar:

Webinar Title:

Early Detection is the Best Protection: Cancer Surveillance for Children with an Underlying Cancer Predisposition Syndrome

Description:

It is now recognized that 5 - 20% of children with cancer develop the disease due to an underlying genetic predisposition. For many of these children, genetic risk for cancer extends beyond the primary cancer itself and involves increased risk for subsequent primary or therapy-related cancers. Accordingly, there is great opportunity to optimize outcomes through periodic cancer surveillance, which aims to detect incipient cancers at their earliest and most curable stages. However, several challenges have impeded research surrounding surveillance and dissemination of relevant information. For example, until the era of genomic medicine, genetic testing of pediatric cancer patients was not widely performed. Further, there has been little consistency in how at-risk children are identified or managed. Finally, the psychologic impacts of surveillance on children and families have not been routinely assessed. Through this webinar, we will bridge this gap by inviting experts to review advances in the field of cancer predisposition with a focus on surveillance for specific cancer predisposition syndromes, such as DICER1, Li-Fraumeni, and constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome. Pediatric hematology oncology learners will benefit from this webinar by learning how to identify and manage children and young adults with these and other cancer predisposition syndromes.

Learning Objectives:

1.      Provide an overview on cancer predisposition syndromes and the concept of surveillance, including potential benefits and existing challenges

2.      Describe recent advances in surveillance for specific predisposition syndromes, including Li-Fraumeni, DICER1, and constitutional mismatch repair deficiency

3.      Consider psychosocial aspects surrounding surveillance for hereditary predisposition to cancer.

Speakers:

·        Kris Ann Schultz, MD

·        Anita Villani, MD

·        Anirban Das, MD