GME > Fellowships > Hematology/Medical Oncology > Curriculum > Cancer Genetics Track

Cancer Genetics Track

Outline

This is a 1-2 year experience available to a 2nd/3rd year Fellow in Hematology/Oncology interested in intensive training in the field of cancer genetics including clinical, research, and educational components.

Faculty

  • Marie E. Wood, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director, Familial Cancer Program, 
    Track Supervisor)
  • Marc S. Greenblatt, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine
  • Wendy McKinnon, MS, Cancer Genetics Counselor
  • Sandy May, Research Assistant, Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory
  • Cheung Wong, MD, Associate Professor of OB/GYN, Director of GYN/ONC
  • Richard Zubarik, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Chief of Endoscopy
  • Michelle Sowden, DO, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Surgical Oncology
  • Robin Hayden, MSN, APRN

Goals

The overall goal of this program will be to educate physicians regarding the practice of cancer genetics and become familiar with basic science and clinical research issues in cancer genetics. Participants will:

  • Learn how to identify and evaluate patients with a strong family history of cancer.
  • Learn how to perform individualized cancer risk assessment based on family histories.
  • Gain an in-depth understanding of high-risk cancer screening for individuals with hereditary/familial risk for cancer.
  • Become knowledgeable about cancer prevention strategies for high-risk individuals
  • Understand how and when to use genetic testing for hereditary cancer
  • Gain an understanding of available options (research and clinical) for cancer genetic testing.
  • Become familiar with risks, benefits, and limitations of cancer genetic testing
  • Learn how to manage patients with hereditary cancer with special emphasis on breast and colon cancer
  • Develop cancer genetics counseling skills
  • Appreciate the scientific and ethical principles of conducting research in the field

Responsibilities

  • One weekly half-day cancer genetics continuity clinic in addition to regular continuity clinics
  • Attendance at following meetings:
    • Twice monthly Familil Cancer Program meetings (1st/3rd Wed of the month)
    • Molecular Diagnostic weekly laboratory meeting
    • Weekly Breast (Thursday-noon) and monthly Gastrointestinal (1st Monday AM) Tumor Board.
  • Clinical/Laboratory Research Project
  • The Fellow will identify a research mentor and is expected to carry out a project with the intention of publishing the results. Fellows are encouraged to either write a research grant proposal under the guidance of a mentor or a clinical trial and submit to the institutional review board.

Didactic Lectures/Topics

Topics will include:

  • Laboratory Methods in Genetic Testing 
  • Principals of Genetics 
  • Genetic Counseling/Testing 
  • Risk Assessment 
  • Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of Cancer Genetic Testing 
  • Cancer Genetic Syndromes 
    • Hereditary Breast/Ovarian Cancer 
    • Hereditary Colon Cancer 
    • Hereditary Melanoma 
  • Pediatric Cancer Genetic Syndromes 
  • Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia 
  • Complete review of ASCO Cancer Genetics curriculum