Assessing the perspectives of genetic counselors with oncology patients at the end of life

Assessing the perspectives of genetic counselors with oncology patients at the end of life
Journal of Genetic Counseling; by Rosalyn D. Brown, Lori Williamson, Natalie Brooke Peeples, Jing Jin, Alexandrea Wadley; 8/25
Cancer genetic services identify individuals that may have a hereditary component to cancer, as it is estimated that up to 10% of cancers are due to a cancer-predisposition gene variant. When an oncology patient has reached the end of life (EOL), genetic counseling and testing may benefit the patient and their family by clarifying hereditary cancer risks. Despite high comfort and preparedness, 77% of respondents desired additional educational training opportunities about providing genetic counseling to oncology patients at the EOL, supporting the need for ongoing education opportunities. The high comfort levels and preparedness reported in this study suggest that genetic counselors are ready and willing to counsel patients facing a terminal diagnosis of cancer and should be further integrated into multidisciplinary teams.