Abstract IA07: Using genetic information in screening and prevention: Perspective of clinicians and policy-makers

How can genetic information be effectively used in screening and prevention? The conceptual framework and rules of evidence for answering this question - widely used by clinicians, policy-makers, and payors - has been developed over decades in the field of Evidence-Based Medicine, exemplified by the approach of the USPSTF (US Preventive Services Task Force) and EGAPP (Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention). The framework9s principles include using the best evidence (clinical trials where available, and observational data where necessary) assessed in systematic searches that consider quality of each study using specific rules of evidence. Outcomes are projected quantitatively to assess net benefit (benefits vs harms) of prevention and screening strategies. In this framework, genetic data may provide information about the magnitude of lifetime risk of developing a specific cancer, while other data (including genomic data) may provide information about the current risk that a cancer is present. Risks of appropriate magnitude may direct interventions that can prevent cancer (for example chemoprevention or preventive surgery) or that can detect the presence of early curable cancer or an important precursor. This talk will describe the quantitative conceptual framework and its rationale, along with the implications, challenges, and opportunities for the use of genetic and genomic information for cancer prevention and screening. Citation Format: David F. Ransohoff. Using genetic information in screening and prevention: Perspective of clinicians and policy-makers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Improving Cancer Risk Prediction for Prevention and Early Detection; Nov 16-19, 2016; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(5 Suppl):Abstract nr IA07.