Meagan E Giles1, Lauren Murphy1,2, Nevena Krstić1,2, Cathy Sullivan3, Syed S Hashmi4, Blair Stevens1,2. 1. Genetic Counseling Program, University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. 2. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA. 3. Lester and Sue Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. 4. Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine genetic counselors' current practices and management needs for patients with prenatal cfDNA screening results indicative of maternal neoplasm. METHODS: A survey was completed by genetic counselors recruited via the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC). RESULTS: Over 300 genetic counselors were surveyed. Almost all participants (95%) were aware that Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) results may suggest maternal neoplasm, and 77% reported they would disclose such results. However, only 29% routinely communicate this possibility to patients in a pre-test setting. Management recommendations made by counselors were highly variable, and over half (51.8%) stated they would feel uncomfortable or very uncomfortable counseling a patient with these results. While less than half (44.3%) believed the current benefits of NIPT's ability to suggest maternal neoplasm outweigh its potential harms, 80.2% recognized it would be beneficial in the future. A vast majority of counselors (91.3%) felt institutional or national guidelines were needed for patient management. CONCLUSION: A majority of counselors neither felt properly equipped nor comfortable counseling patients with prenatal cfDNA results suggestive of maternal neoplasm. This study demonstrates a need for collaboration amongst clinicians, researchers, and laboratories to publish data regarding NIPT results indicative of maternal neoplasm, and for the creation of management guidelines.
OBJECTIVE: To determine genetic counselors' current practices and management needs for patients with prenatal cfDNA screening results indicative of maternal neoplasm. METHODS: A survey was completed by genetic counselors recruited via the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC). RESULTS: Over 300 genetic counselors were surveyed. Almost all participants (95%) were aware that Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) results may suggest maternal neoplasm, and 77% reported they would disclose such results. However, only 29% routinely communicate this possibility to patients in a pre-test setting. Management recommendations made by counselors were highly variable, and over half (51.8%) stated they would feel uncomfortable or very uncomfortable counseling a patient with these results. While less than half (44.3%) believed the current benefits of NIPT's ability to suggest maternal neoplasm outweigh its potential harms, 80.2% recognized it would be beneficial in the future. A vast majority of counselors (91.3%) felt institutional or national guidelines were needed for patient management. CONCLUSION: A majority of counselors neither felt properly equipped nor comfortable counseling patients with prenatal cfDNA results suggestive of maternal neoplasm. This study demonstrates a need for collaboration amongst clinicians, researchers, and laboratories to publish data regarding NIPT results indicative of maternal neoplasm, and for the creation of management guidelines.
Authors: Liesbeth Lenaerts; Nathalie Brison; Charlotte Maggen; Leen Vancoillie; Huiwen Che; Peter Vandenberghe; Daan Dierickx; Lucienne Michaux; Barbara Dewaele; Patrick Neven; Giuseppe Floris; Thomas Tousseyn; Lore Lannoo; Tatjana Jatsenko; Isabelle Vanden Bempt; Kristel Van Calsteren; Vincent Vandecaveye; Luc Dehaspe; Koenraad Devriendt; Eric Legius; Kris Van Den Bogaert; Joris Robert Vermeesch; Frédéric Amant Journal: EClinicalMedicine Date: 2021-05-13
Authors: Ondrej Pös; Jaroslav Budis; Zuzana Kubiritova; Marcel Kucharik; Frantisek Duris; Jan Radvanszky; Tomas Szemes Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2019-09-07 Impact factor: 5.923