Over the past 10 years, there has been a significant increase in the number of situations in which germline testing is indicated in patients with prostate cancer. As a result, more people need access to genetic counseling, yet there is already a severe scarcity due to rising demand. The goal of this research was to introduce and evaluate a clinician-led model for genetic counseling and testing prospectively. Participants in the Germline Genetics in Prostate Cancer Study were offered pre-test genetic counseling by their urologist or medical oncologist as part of their routine clinical care and were simultaneously approached for enrollment in the study if they had metastatic or localized prostate cancer and met National Comprehensive Cancer Network® criteria for consideration of genetic testing. After receiving counseling, patients who consented to be surveyed completed an evaluation of that service. Genetic testing optimists filled out a 2nd validated survey after receiving their results. The proportion of patients who were tested was the primary outcome, with the aim of more than 60% patient testing. Overall, patient satisfaction with counseling was the secondary endpoint, and it was aimed at being more than 85% of the time. All told, 275 people signed up, with 203 choosing to get DNA testing. Patients who completed surveys after receiving counseling totaled 265, while those who completed surveys after undergoing genetic testing were 132. About 98% of patients said they were happy with the overall quality of pre-test counseling, and 74% of patients chose to get genetic testing. In prostate cancer, these findings provide credence to the efficacy of genetic counseling delivered by medical professionals. This strategy can increase access to relevant germline genetic testing by training clinicians.
Source: auajournals.org/doi/full/10.1097/JU.0000000000002865
