Category: screening

The Long Road to Population-based Genomic Screening

Since 2012, the CDC Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health (OGPPH) has identified three autosomal dominant conditions for which there exist evidence-based recommendations to prevent morbidity and mortality from either cancer or heart disease. Using our evidence-based framework, we have collectively labeled the following conditions as tier 1 genomic applications: 1) hereditary breast and Read More >

Posted on by Muin J. Khoury, Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia and Michael F. Murray, Clinical director, Center for Genomic Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut3 Comments

Implementing Genomics-Based Screening Programs for Healthy Adults: A Proposed Evidence-based Approach from the Genomics and Population Health Action Collaborative

A Proposed Approach for Implementing Genomics-Based Screening Programs for Healthy Adults - A National Academy of Medicine Discussion Paper nam.edu/Perspectives with an image of DNA

The following report was developed by the Genomics and Population Health Action Collaborative (GPHAC) as a potential roadmap for groups planning to carry out projects involving genomics-based screening programs in the healthy adult populations. The report is available in its entirety on the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine website. The advent of next Read More >

Posted on by Muin J. Khoury and W. David Dotson, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaLeave a commentTags

When Should You Be Screened for Colorectal Cancer?

DNA and a person with their colon shown

Starting at the right time saves lives. People with a family history of CRC may need to start much earlier. Doctors and public health professionals strive to live by the creed “First, do no harm” but often wrestle with difficult choices, including when and how often screening tests should be conducted. Effective prevention of colorectal Read More >

Posted on by Scott Bowen, Office of Public Health Genomics; Lisa Richardson, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control; and Muin J. Khoury, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaLeave a comment

Universal Screening for Lynch Syndrome: Can Tumor Sequencing Have a Larger Public Health Impact on Treatment and Prevention of Colorectal Cancer?

Universal Screening with an arrow labeled Lynch Syndrome and DNA below it

Lynch syndrome (LS) is the most common hereditary syndrome associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), accounting for about 3% of CRC patients. LS is a dominantly inherited condition with mutations in several mismatch repair (MMR) genes. Persons with LS are also at increased risk for endometrial and other cancers. Lynch syndrome affects 1 Read More >

Posted on by Muin J. Khoury, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, and Heather Hampel, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OhioLeave a commentTags , ,

Trends and Factors Affecting Utilization of BRCA Testing in the United States: The Need for Improved Surveillance

hands holding a pink ribbon with the US map in the background

This blog post is a summary of two recent CDC papers on the trends in utilization of BRCA testing in the United States, and metropolitan-nonmetropolitan areas differences in testing. Women with pathogenic BRCA mutations have an estimated 45–65% risk of breast cancer and a 17–39% risk of ovarian cancer by age 70, as compared with Read More >

Posted on by Katherine Kolor, Zhuo Chen, and Muin J. Khoury, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionLeave a commentTags

Can we use genetic screening of healthy populations to save lives and prevent disease? Join the conversation.

a doctor looking into a crystal ball filled with people - he is surrounded by a babies feet with bloodspots and a crowd of people and a stop sign with cancer on it and a stethoscope listening to a heart

On January 30, 2017, CDC held a special workshop to discuss the role of public health in the implementation of genetic screening programs beyond the newborn period. The workshop brought together panelists from the worlds of medical genetics and public health practice, including cancer, birth defects, and laboratory science. Workshop presenters and a CDC panel discussed Read More >

Posted on by Muin J Khoury, Director, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention6 CommentsTags ,

From One Hundred Thousand Genomes in the United Kingdom to Millions of Genomes in the United States: What Lessons Can we Learn?

A map of the US and UK with sequencing

In recent years, the United Kingdom (UK) has made a major commitment to developing a large scale population cohort study (100,000 genome project), linking high quality genomic sequence data to electronic health record information for the purposes of scientific discovery and clinical care improvement.  The plan is for this project to continue well into the Read More >

Posted on by W. Gregory Feero, Guest Blogger, Maine Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency, and Muin J. Khoury, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaLeave a comment

Happy Thanksgiving: Collect & Act on Your Family Health History

a multigenerational family eating a Thanksgiving meal with DNA

As you celebrate Thanksgiving with your family this November, remember that this special day is also National Family Health History Day. Family health history is important to your health and can help you detect unique disease risks and manage them before becoming sick, or find the right diagnosis and treatments when you have a certain Read More >

Posted on by Bob Wildin MD, Guest Blogger, Genomic Healthcare Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute and Muin J. Khoury MD, PhD, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionLeave a commentTags

The Cancer Moonshot, Hereditary Cancers and Population Genetic Screening

Cancer Moonshot with an image of a moon surrounded by DNA and a crowd of people

In September 2016, the Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel delivered a report with 10 ambitious recommendations to shape cancer research for the next five years. One recommendation is to “expand use of proven prevention and early detection strategies.” [PDF 199 KB] There is a lot we can do to prevent cancer now— even with no Read More >

Posted on by Muin J. Khoury, Director, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Lisa C. Richardson, Director, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Atlanta, GeorgiaLeave a comment

Does genetic risk information improve healthy behavior? Let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water!

a double helix in a green circle, a glass of alcohol in a red circle wth a slash through it, a No Smoking stop sign, excercise equipement, an apple and a Screening door tag

In a recent systematic review with meta-analysis, Hollands et al evaluated the impact of communicating genetic risk information on risk-reducing health behaviors and motivations for behavior change. The authors reviewed 18 studies with 7 behavioral outcomes, including smoking cessation, diet and physical activity. They found no significant effects of communicating DNA based risk estimates on Read More >

Posted on by Muin J Khoury, Director, Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionLeave a commentTags ,