Hereditary Cancer Syndrome

The goal of this study is to understand the performance of an experimental blood test that aims to detect early tumors in patients with hereditary cancer syndromes. If this new blood test is accurate, it could be used to screen patients for cancer and allow for earlier cancer detection. The study will compare cancer detection rates between those receiving the new blood test and those receiving standard care, assess if the test leads to earlier cancer diagnosis, and evaluate its impact on patient outcomes. The study will also use questionnaires and interviews to understand how patients feel about the blood test, its incorporation into routine medical care, and perceptions of the medical value of test results. This research could lead to more effective and less invasive cancer screening for high-risk individuals.

In this study, the investigators aim to compare a mobile health platform, known as a 'chatbot,' that leverages artificial intelligence and natural language processing to scale communication, to 'usual care' that patients would receive. This comparison will enable the investigators to determine if the chatbot system can improve rates of recommendation for genetic testing among patients at elevated risk of harboring a familial cancer syndrome in an all-Medicaid gynecology clinic. Furthermore, the investigators aim to evaluate facilitators of inequity in regard to patient access to and utilization of genetic testing services.

Lynch syndrome (OMIM #120435) is the most common dominantly inherited colorectal cancer syndrome with an estimated prevalence of 1:270 individuals. It increases the lifetime risk of colorectal and endometrial cancer primarily, but it is associated with a high risk of other cancers (pancreas, stomach, ovarian, central nervous system, skin, among others). It is caused by a germline mutation in one of four DNA mismatch repair genes or a terminal deletion of the MSH2-adjacent gene EpCAM. Despite adherence to cancer surveillance programs, many patients still develop colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer. The Prospective Lynch Syndrome Database (PLSD) suggests that more frequent surveillance intervals do not significantly improve cancer risk reduction. The PLSD also revealed that the incidence of colorectal cancer in MLH1 and MSH2 carriers was even higher than previously expected, reaching as high as 41-36% among MLH1 carriers, regardless of ethnic background. The development of colorectal cancer despite surveillance is an unresolved question. Therefore, there is an unmet need for effective cancer prevention strategies.

The purpose of this research study is to learn more about variants in the TP53 gene both associated with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS), a hereditary cancer risk condition, and TP53 variants found in the blood for other reasons (e.g. ACE/CHIP and mosaicism).

The investigators hypothesize that preconception and pregnancy may be a feasible and effective time to offer inherited cancer risk screening. This study will assess interest in cancer genetic testing among patients receiving routine prenatal care or preconception care. The goal is to evaluate the acceptability of hereditary cancer testing when offered alongside standard prenatal genetic screening. The study will also explore whether universal screening in this population could support early cancer prevention

The goal of this clinical trial is for researchers to compare the effectiveness of a mainstreamed model of genetic testing (MGT) with an enhanced standard of care model (SOC+) on the uptake of genetic testing among at-risk patients in an urban Federally Qualified Health Center (primary care) setting using a hybrid-effectiveness study design. Aim 1 is to compare the effectiveness of MGT and SOC+ interventions on the uptake of genetic testing among patients receiving primary care in an urban federally qualified health center (FQHC) system using a randomized trial study design. The hypothesis is that the uptake of testing will be higher among patients receiving services through the MGT compared with the SOC+ model. Aim 2 is to evaluate the implementation outcomes (acceptability, feasibility and sustainability) and the barriers and facilitators of cancer genetic service delivery approaches within primary care at FQHCs via qualitative interviews with patients, primary care providers and clinic staff, and organizational leaders, guided by the Explore, Prepare, Implement, Sustain (EPIS) implementation framework. The study will take place at four community health clinics that are part of a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) network in Chicago. Each clinic will use one of two ways of providing cancer genetic services: an enhanced standard of care model that includes patient navigation support (SOC+), or a mainstream genetic testing model (MGT) in which primary care providers offer testing directly. Information such as patients' demographic characteristics, referrals for genetic counseling, completion of genetic testing, and how long it takes to complete testing will be collected from clinic records. Patients, healthcare providers, and clinic staff will also be invited to take part in interviews to share their experiences and perspectives on how each model worked in practice.