Search Results
10 results for cancer
The Cancer Moonshot, Hereditary Cancers and Population Genetic Screening
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
Posted on byCancer Precision Medicine: More Population Sciences Ahead!
We explore briefly the expanding role of population sciences in the implementation of the NIH Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI). The initiative includes a major component on cancer precision treatment, and a large scale cohort study program to generate knowledge applicable to all areas of health and disease, including cancer risk factors and outcomes. Genomics is
Posted on byRecommendations and Reality: What Personal Stories of Hereditary Cancer Can Tell Us
In public health and clinical medicine, recommendations for interventions are generally based on the evidence supporting improved health outcomes. Studies that inform these recommendations often focus on the evidence for benefits, especially when those benefits include lives saved. The harms that affect quality of life are more challenging to quantify and sometimes go unmeasured. Recommendations
Posted on by 1 CommentThe Future of Epidemiology in the Age of Precision Medicine: Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, and Beyond
We live in the era of “Big Data.” Evaluating the health impact of large scale biological, social, and environmental data is an emerging challenge. Epidemiology, the study of the distribution and determinants of human disease in populations, is a foundational science of public health and provides important insights for medical practice and disease prevention. Epidemiology has
Posted on by 1 CommentUsing Genomics in Precision Prevention of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. It is estimated that 3%-5% of breast cancer cases are hereditary, most often involving mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Such mutations confer high lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancer. The United States Preventive Services Task Force has issued specific recommendations
Posted on byHuman Disease and Bad Luck: Acting on Genetic & Environmental Factors to Reduce Cancer Risk
In January 2015, a paper in Science created a “buzz” in the scientific community and the media. Based on statistical modelling, the authors suggested that “only a third of the variation in cancer risk among tissues is attributable to environmental factors or inherited predispositions. The majority is due to ‘bad luck,’ that is, random mutations
Posted on by 1 CommentEvidence Matters in Genomic Medicine- Round 2: Integrating Cancer Genomic Tests
In a previous blog, CDC’s Office of Public Health Genomics announced a list of health-related genomic tests and applications, stratified into three tiers according to the availability of scientific evidence and evidence-based recommendations as a result of systematic reviews. The list is intended to promote information exchange and dialogue among researchers, providers, policy makers, and
Posted on by 1 CommentThe Promise of Population-based Genomic Screening for Selected Hereditary Conditions: Contributions of Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
It is estimated that 3 million people in the United States carry pathogenic variants that increase their risks for heart disease and cancer. If people with such variants are identified, medical interventions are available to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality. However, existing recommendations tend to emphasize family-based or ethnic-specific criteria to determine at-risk individuals for
Posted on by 1 CommentData for Action in Public Health Genomics: Ensuring Equitable Implementation of Genomic Applications Across the Lifespan
In the more than 20 years since the completion of the Human Genome Project, basic and clinical research have delivered on the promise to develop genomic applications that can help prevent and treat many diseases across the lifespan. However, efforts to ensure equitable implementation of genomic applications have fallen short particularly among racial and ethnic
Posted on byPopulation-based Genomic Screening Programs: The Need for Optimal Implementation to Ensure Health Equity
Population genomic screening of adults has emerged as a strategy to promote prevention of common diseases such as cancer and heart disease among persons with genetic conditions. This type of screening has the potential to identify millions of currently undetected people in the United States who are at risk of preventable diseases for which evidence-based
Posted on by