Case 16: Inherited cancers Flashcards
Why do you do population screening
- Large scale screening: Reduce risks or complications of a disease
- Identify at risk individuals who are more likely to be helped by further tests or treatment
- Provide individuals with results, further investigation and treatment options
- Facilitate preventative medicine through early diagnosis of at risk and affected individuals.
Potential benefits of population screening
- Early detection of disease allows for earlier more effective treatment
- Identifies at risk individuals so preventive measures can be put in place
- Identification of carriers of heritable conditions allows for informed family planning
- Increased awareness of own health allowing for lifestyle changes
- Control of disease at a population level
- Cost-effective
Potential harms of population screening
- False positive/negative results
- Test may be invasive
- Insurance implications
- Psychological implications
How many cases of breast and bowel cancer are inherited
How many cases of breast cancer are genetic: most are sporadic. Less than <10% are caused by a germline mutation
How many cases of bowel cancer are inherited: 1 in 4 have a family history. 5-6% are inherited i.e. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and Lynch syndrome
The NHS breast cancerscreening Programme
- Population screening programme
- Offered to women from the age of 50 to 71st birthday every 3 year
- May be eligible before the age of 50 if individuals are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer
- Women who are 71 or over are still eligible for screening but must request
The NHS bowel cancer screening
- Population screening programme
- One-off bowel scope screening test offered at age 55 (if available in the individual’s area)
- Individuals aged 50-74 offered home testing kit (faecal occult blood test) every 2 years
- Individuals 75 or over can request a home testing kit every 2 years
Referral for a family history of cancer
- Young age at onset
- Number/pattern of similar tumours on one side of the family
- Multiple primaries in one individual
- Type of cancer e.g. Triple negative breast cancer
- Ethnicity e.g. – Chinese, Indian, Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry
- Results of genetic testing
- Main cancer affected: Breast, Bowel and Ovarian
What do the genetic services do
- Accept referrals of people with a family history of cancer
- Request family information from patient
- Compile a family tree
- Confirm diagnoses in the family: Confirmed through cancer registry or medical records (with consent)
- Provide a risk assessment for family members and screening recommendations
- Genetic testing/Predictive testing
Inherited v familial
- Hereditary – Due to a mutation in a cancer gene e.g. BRCA1/ BRCA2
- Familial – mixture of weaker genetic factors and environment
- Low risk – family history likely to be sporadic cancer
Surveillance and management breast cancer: low risk
- Discharged back to referrer
- NHS breast screening programme 50-70 and 70+ (normal)
Surveillance and management breast cancer: Moderate risk
- Seen in clinic/discharged with advice letter
- annual mammography aged 40-50
- NHS breast screening programme 50-70 and 70+
- Chemoprevention advice: i.e. Tamoxifen, Roloxifen, aromatase inhibitors
Breast cancer: surveillance and management High risk
- Seen in clinic
- Genetic testing may be available
- Chemoprevention advice
- Annual mammography aged 40-60
- NHS breast screening programme 60-70 and 70+
- Risk reducing surgical options may be discussed
Breast cancer surveillance and management very high risk (known mutation i.e. BRCA)
- Seen in clinic
- Genetic testing may be available
- Chemoprevention advice: with BRCA1 alterations its not typically recommended
- Annual MRI from 30-50 and annual mammography from 40-70
- NHS breast screening programme 70+
- Bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy
- Prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) offered if high lifetime risk of ovarian cancer: consider if >40 and completed their family
Bowel cancer surveillance and management- Low risk families
- Discharged back to referrer
- NHS bowel screening programme
Bowel cancer surveillance and management- Moderate families
- Appointment in clinic
- Surveillance determined – either one off at 55 or 5 yearly (if high/moderate)
- NHS Bowel screening programme
Bowel cancer surveillance and management- High risk families (Lynch and FAP)
- Appointments in genetic clinic
- Genetic testing: tumour and germline testing
- Chemoprevention advice – Aspirin
Bowel cancer surveillance and management- Lynch syndrome
- Colonoscopies are offered every two years, usually starting from the age of 25
- hysterectomy and oophorectomy offered to women at risk of gynecology cancers once they have completed their families
Bowel cancer surveillance and management- FAP
Annual bowel checks, starting between ages 10-13 (sigmoidoscopy can be used to examine the lower part of the bowel, or colonoscopies can be used to examine more of bowel)
BRCA1/2 carrier risk
- BRCA1: increased risk of ovarian cancer and female breast cancer compared to BRCA2. Increased risk of male breast cancer compared to the general population
- BRCA2: increased risk of Male breast cancer and Prostate cancer compared to BRCA1. Increased risk of ovarian cancer and female breast cancer compared to general population
Percentage risk of cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation
- BRCA1/2 developing contralateral breast cancer after unilateral: 50%
- BRCA1 breast cancer: up to 90%
- BRCA2 breast cancer: up to 85%
- BRCA1 ovarian: up to 60%
- BRCA2 ovarian: up to 30%
- BRCA2 male breast cancer: 5-10%
- BRCA2 prostate: 25%