Knowing your genes can save lives
February 22, 2018
New webinar series demystifies genetics
Genetic testing has been a hot topic in the news lately. People are starting to use genetic test information to chart the course for disease prevention with their health care professionals. For women with ovarian cancer, and their family members, the subject is of particular importance.
It’s for this reason that Ovarian Cancer Canada is partnering with the Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada (GOC) to present a webinar series focused on genetics and ovarian cancer, and what information about genes can mean for your family’s health.
Dr. Lesa Dawson (Photo credit: Jennifer Armstrong, Memorial University)
“As many as 23 per cent of women with ovarian cancer have an inherited genetic mutation,” says Dr. Lesa Dawson, Gynecologic Oncologist, Women's Health and Genetics, Memorial University of Newfoundland. “This means that an error, similar to a spelling mistake, is found in genes such as BRCA 1 or 2. Identifying these mutations can be helpful to a woman’s future treatment, and can also give her family members the opportunity to pursue testing themselves and determine if their own cancer risk is elevated.”
Dr. Dawson’s research is focused on cancer prevention in women with certain gene mutations. To help explain the role of genes in disease development and prevention, she hand selected a line-up of speakers to support the following webinars:
- Cancer Genetics: What you need to know
- Everything you want to know about genetic testing
- Cancer prevention and screening in BRCA carriers
BRCA gene mutations are involved in most cases of hereditary ovarian cancer. While all women have BRCA genes, when these genes develop a mutation they can increase a woman’s risk for ovarian cancer up to 60 per cent.
“As there is no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer, genetic testing is a way to identify people who are at high risk before they develop the disease. From there, we can provide health advice based on the kind of gene mutation that’s found,” says Dr. Dawson. “For instance, if a woman with ovarian cancer is found to carry a BRCA gene mutation, her daughter can be tested. If positive, it means that she is at increased risk for both ovarian cancer and breast cancer, so we’d have an informed discussion about how she might reduce risk for ovarian cancer and we’d recommend intensive screening for breast cancer.”
“The GOC and our partners, including Ovarian Cancer Canada, are working to ensure that every woman with ovarian cancer, regardless of her family history, has access to genetic testing,” she adds. “Our most pressing priority is to ensure that ‘No Woman is Left Behind’ when it comes to genetic testing because understanding your genetics can enable risk reduction for your family, and potentially target treatment.”
The first webinar of the series demystifies genetics and further examines how gene mutations can impact a person’s risk for developing cancer. Registration for the session is now open.
“Ovarian Cancer Canada and GOC are long-time partners and we are proud to be working together to bring women and families the latest information on cancer and genetics,” says Kelly Grover, Vice-President of National Programs and Partnerships at Ovarian Cancer Canada. “Join us for these sessions to learn how your genetics may unlock information that could ultimately save lives.”
You can sign up to any or all of the webinars depending on your interests. From there, tune in from anywhere in Canada. All you need is a computer with internet access.
Register now for Cancer Genetics: What you need to know. This session takes place on Thursday, March 1 at 4 pm EST. Recordings will be available on the Webinar Series page.
Details on the other sessions will be posted on the Webinar Series page at ovariancanada.org as they become available.