Kara Cossis, PA-C, MPH, on challenges, opportunities with genetic testing

Author(s):

Key Takeaways

Streamlining genetic testing involves patient identification, paperwork, partner selection, and result management, with companies offering germline, somatic, or both types of testing.
Genetic testing expands treatment options by assessing cancer risk and identifying abnormal genes, guiding future treatment decisions.
Germline testing benefits patients' biological children by enabling proactive screening and care, aiding in personalized cancer risk assessment and management.

“Opportunity wise, I always say that if you don't perform the test, then you're limiting treatment options for your patients,” says Kara Cossis, PA-C, MPH.

In this video, Kara Cossis, PA-C, MPH, outlines challenges and opportunities with genetic testing in prostate cancer. Cossis is a physician assistant at Chesapeake Urology in Towson, Maryland.

Video Transcript:

Probably the biggest challenges are figuring out a streamlined process within the office to actually order it. It's everything from who's going to identify the patient, who's going to fill out the paperwork, who they're going to actually use, the industry partners they're comfortable using, how is that information sent out, how is it received, how is it interpreted, and who deals with the results? That's one of the challenges. I think one of the other challenges is finding the right match. There are different companies that do germline only. There are different ones do somatic only. There are some that do both. Looking for that streamlined process, where you can find an industry partner, where it's more integrated, and there is a one-stop-shop.

Opportunity wise, I always say that if you don't perform the test, then you're limiting treatment options for your patients. There are really 3 main goals of doing these particular tests. One is to assess the patient's individual cancer risk. It will tell them, do they either carry an abnormal gene, or does their tissue have an abnormal gene that would potentially open the door for other treatments for them, for the future, as their cancer progresses. The other thing is, especially if it's in the germline testing, it will open the door for being able to be more proactive in their biological children's life. If they had a positive mutation, then they can make sure that their children are being screened appropriately and monitored and seeking proactive care. Then it also is going to help them with their individual cancer risk assessment, especially in germline, because they're testing to see if there are other potential cancers that they may be at risk for.

This transcript was AI generated and edited by human editors for clarity.