Hereditary Cancer genetic testing is proceeding at BC Cancer, and genetic counselling remains available. Currently, counselling sessions are typically conducted over the phone or using video conferencing. Your genetic counsellor will be happy to talk to you about blood testing that requires a visit to a lab in your community.

Please visit the BC Cancer web page for more information about the impact of COVID-19: http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/health-info/covid-19-and-cancer-information-for-patients

A genetic variant is a change in the gene that may or may not make the gene stop working. Some variants are called benign and do not impact how the gene works. Benign variants are harmless and do not cause cancer. They are normal variation. Some variants are pathogenic, which means they are cancer causing.

Other terms for variant include “mutation” or “alteration.” All of these terms mean the same thing.

Doctors and genetic counsellors do not always know whether a given variant causes cancer or not. These are called “variants of unknown significance,” and are very common. Most VUSs are benign and do not impact how the gene works. As we do not know what this VUS means in relation to your history of cancer today, we do not use it to guide cancer risk estimates or management advice for you and your family.

The goal of genetic counselling is to help people with a personal and/or family history of cancer learn more about hereditary cancer. A genetic counselling appointment may include:

• Review any history of cancer in your family
• Information about genes & cancer
• Information about how genes are passed down from parents to children
• Information about differences between “sporadic” cancers (occur by chance), and “hereditary” cancers (may be linked to a specific gene)
• Information about the chance of hereditary cancer in your family
• Discussion about whether genetic testing is available for you and/or your family
• Discussion about how to decide whether to have genetic testing
• Recommendations for early detection and cancer prevention

The Hereditary Cancer Program is a teaching unit for the UBC Department of Medical Genetics. This means that a genetic counselling student or doctor who is completing specialty training in genetics may be involved in your appointment, along with their supervisor.

Not usually. For some less common hereditary cancer conditions, a focused physical exam by the doctor may be a part of the consult.

45 minutes is booked for most appointments.

You are welcome to include other adults with whom you feel comfortable. You may wish to invite your spouse or a supportive friend. You may wish to invite relatives who share similar concerns about cancer risk in your family.

If genetic testing is available for your family, it usually starts with a blood or saliva sample from a person who has had cancer. If a gene change that causes hereditary cancer is found, then testing is available to other interested family members who have had genetic counselling.

The information may be helpful in understanding what caused your cancer. It may be important for your ongoing medical care including treatment options. It may also be helpful for your family to provide information for earlier detection and prevention of cancer.

Please complete your cancer family tree that was provided in your information package. Some people find it difficult to complete this information. Sometimes family details are not well known or openly discussed. We ask you to do your best – approximate information is okay.

Please contact our office at (604) 877-6000 local 672198 or toll-free 1-800-663-3333, local 672198 if:

• there are changes in your own health, or the health of a relative with cancer, before your appointment; in some cases we may suggest storing a blood sample before your appointment;
• a family member has already met with a genetic counsellor (in BC or elsewhere) to discuss your family’s history of cancer. We may request related reports;
• you have questions, concerns or new information related to this booked appointment.

Yes. The Hereditary Cancer Program will send a letter to your family doctor telling them your result and what recommendations have been made for your care.

This patient portal was developed over a period of 2 years in consultation with patients, doctors and genetic counsellors at BC Cancer’s Hereditary Cancer Program, and researchers at BC Cancer. The research team is comprised of individuals who are highly trained in public health, genetics, cancer, and health economics.

Patient input was obtained by interviewing individuals who have undergone testing through the Hereditary Cancer Program. We then developed the portal and asked for feedback from patients, genetic counsellors, and doctors to help improve the portal.

The development of this app was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, as part of a research project. The objective of this project was to co-develop a resource for patients to assist them in making decisions about genetic testing.

The research team is working to improve the patient portal with the most up-to-date information available. On an ongoing basis, we will update the information to respond to feedback that we receive from individuals who use the patient portal.

To assist people in making evidence and values informed decisions about genetic testing, we have compiled information from many sources. We have worked closely with BC Cancer’s Hereditary Cancer Program to locate the most up-to-date information about BRCA1 and BRCA2, genetic testing, recommendations and commonly asked questions.

We have included information that has been developed by the Canadian Cancer Society, BC Cancer, the Hereditary Cancer Program, as well as multiple Breast and Ovarian Cancer groups and societies. Our objective is to provide you and your family with accurate information, as well as the means to contact the HCP if you have any additional questions about testing, prevention and care.