I am the coordinator for the The Gilda Radner Hereditary Cancer Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles led by Dr. Beth Karlan. Our program is dedicated to furthering hereditary cancer research specifically aimed at individuals with inherited BRCA1 and/ or BRCA2 gene mutation. The purpose of the current research program is learn more about cancer penetrance and to investigate the epidemiological and psychosocial factors associated with being at higher risk for cancer due to BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 alterations.
Participation in the program involves filling out family history, medical, and quality of life questionnaires at enrollment and completing follow-up medical and quality of life questionnaires annually. Blood may also be collected annually for those living in the Los Angeles area. The collection of blood for research will be paid by the research program.
In addition, I am coordinating The Novel Markers Trial, a collaboration among a group of institutions that are conducting research in ovarian cancer. The institutions that are part of this group are Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, Washington, City of Hope in Duarte, and Stanford University in Palo Alto. This trial will use biomarkers, proteins in the blood, to screen for early detection of ovarian cancer. The study will compare the use of the biomarkers CA 125 and HE4 as a primary screen for early detection of ovarian cancer compared to CA 125 alone as a primary screen with HE4 used as a secondary screen.
Eligibility is limited to women ages 25 – 80 who have at least one ovary and have a documented deleterious germ line mutation in BRCA 1 or BRCA 2. Participation includes participating in a blood draw at the coordinating site every six months and completing questionnaires.
I would be very interested in posting information regarding these important research studies on your Facebook page, with the aim of recruiting participants.
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