2010 pre-Symposium Archives

2010 Pre-Symposium Seminar

Posted on February 7, 2013 by admin

It has become apparent over the last decade that the incidence of genetic predisposition to cancer in the childhood age range is substantial, and clinical application of this knowledge is increasingly becoming standard practice. The 2010 POGO Pre-Symposium Seminar – Cancer & Genetics: Impact on Family and Healthcare Professionals – examined the many psychosocial and ethical impacts of predictive genetic testing on parents, families and health care practitioners.

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NOTE: The content of each presentation below captures the unedited information and opinions presented by the speakers. Please note that the information contained in the presentations was current at the time it was presented – there may be further information in subsequent literature. Listed speaker credentials were current at the time of presentation.

Childhood Cancer Susceptibility: Taking DNA into the Clinic

Posted on February 7, 2013 by admin

Presentation Description: With the advent of high-resolution genetic technologies, development of cancer genetics programs, and increased availability of clinical genetic testing, the practical application of genetic diagnosis of cancer susceptibility has become a reality of clinical practice. The use of genetic information in confirming diagnoses, modifying prognoses, and even providing opportunities for therapeutic intervention requires a multi-disciplinary approach to patient and family care. This presentation provided an overview of the key elements of genetic medicine that are relevant to understanding cancer susceptibility and examines the practical psychosocial and ethical implications of this ‘brave new world’ on the practice of pediatric oncology.

Speaker:

David Malkin, MD
Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Biophysics
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Staff Oncologist and Senior Scientist
The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON

Genetic Testing: Another Sword of Damocles? Psychological and Social Implications

Posted on February 7, 2013 by admin

Presentation Description: Genetic testing for hereditary cancer susceptibility offers the promise, in some cases, of providing a clear explanation of why cancer has occurred in a child, potential access for targeted treatments as they emerge, and screening and possible early detection for healthy siblings. However, the impact of pediatric cancer genetic testing on children is largely unknown, and raises a host of psychological, social, and ethical issues. This presentation reviewed existing research literature on children and genetic testing, offered clinical examples, and discussed the developmental, familial, medical and cultural factors which should be considered in decision-making about cancer genetic testing for children.

Speaker:

Andrea Farkas Patenaude, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Director of Psycho-Oncology Research, Division of Pediatric Oncology
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, MA

All in the Family: Ethical Controversies in Cancer Genetics

Posted on February 7, 2013 by admin

Presentation Description: The new genetics yields an increasing array of genetic mutations and variation which can be detected in the laboratory. Yet the clinical significance of many of these may be uncertain in terms of implications both in the clinical arena and in private human lives. Bioethics focused on autonomy seems of limited value in addressing the concerns of who to test, who to tell, and what to do: if autonomy is about being separate, genetics is all about being related. This presentation explored ways in which ethics and legal constructs as well as genetics research can help construct this changing landscape and offer better informed approaches to these concerns.

Speaker:

Michelle A. Mullen, MHP, PhD
Associate Professor Departments of Paediatrics & Women’s Studies
University of Ottawa, ON
Consultant Bioethicist
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON

A Chain of Voices in Family Decision-Making

Posted on February 7, 2013 by admin

Presentation Description: This panel explored the challenging decisions that families face when presented with the option of genetic testing. The panelists provided details about their personal and family experience with cancer and discussed factors that persuaded them to make the decisions they made surrounding genetic testing and the implications of these decisions.

Moderator (joined by parent panelists):

Harriet Druker, MSc
Genetic Counsellor
Cancer Genetics Program, The Hospital for Sick Children
Lecturer
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Toronto
Associate Member, Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, University of Toronto

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Tag: 2010 pre-Symposium

2010 Pre-Symposium Seminar

VIEW THE PROGRAM

Childhood Cancer Susceptibility: Taking DNA into the Clinic

Genetic Testing: Another Sword of Damocles? Psychological and Social Implications

All in the Family: Ethical Controversies in Cancer Genetics

A Chain of Voices in Family Decision-Making