With 5 to 10 percent of all cancers considered hereditary, Lewis-Gale and the other three hospitals in the HCA Virginia Health System have decided to address that issue. Thus the new Department of Clinical Genetics made its debut recently, offering genetic counseling and testing for a variety of cancers, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic and melanoma. In addition the Clinical Genetics department will soon offer counseling to expectant mothers on disorders such as sickle cell anemia, Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
Kara Bui (Boo-ee) is the newly hired genetic counselor for HCA Virginia Health System, based at Lewis-Gale. She’s been a genetic counselor in the Roanoke Valley since 2004; the focus on counseling about hereditary cancers is fairly new to the area. “But genetic tests for inherited cancer syndromes have been around for 15 years,” adds Bui.
As the Director of Clinical Genetics she will also do outreach services, bringing genetic counseling to more rural areas of southwest Virginia. “Human genetics is a growing field and we plan to stay on the forefront of the latest developments,” said Victor Giovanetti, president of HCA Southwest Virginia.
Bui’s department will concentrate on genetic counseling for cancers at first said Bui, who just arrived at Lewis-Gale last week. “It will grow from there,” she promises. Much of what she does involves identifying family members who might be at the greatest risk for hereditary cancers. She will also interface with Lewis-Gale physicians to make sure they are on top of the latest trends in genetic testing, a field that Bui said changes rapidly.
Bui said she spends much of her time going through a family’s history, looking for “patterns in the family tree,” to help identify what tests if any might be prudent. Interpreting genetic test results is more fruitful when family history is taken into account, according to Bui, who earned a master’s degree in genetic counseling from the University of South Carolina.
“Once we figure that out we can offer genetic testing,” said Bui. She then helps clients make “informed decisions” about identifying cancer earlier, or preventing the disease altogether. Preventive surgeries and certain medications can reduce the likelihood of cancer said Bui. Some are just candidates for increased screening frequency.
Genetic testing and counseling like the services now offered at Lewis-Gale is a growing practice around the country, according to Bui. “We are finally at the point in medicine where we can personalize medical plans for patients. Genetic testing data has accumulated [to provide for] a better outcome.”
Insurance companies “have gotten on board” also, paying for testing said Bui, since preventive services up front are cheaper than the costs for treatment later on. Cancer testing tops the list of services insurers have approved for payment. Bui follows national guidelines to verify that patients will qualify for insurance coverage. “As long as patients really need the service.”
There is no one genetic test that can scan for all cancers and other diseases, but Bui feels it may be coming soon – a “whole body gene profile,” she calls it. “We’re close.” With the human genome already mapped “it’s getting cheaper and more acceptable,” to do genetic testing.
Genetic testing won’t detect everything but can go a long way towards keeping people healthier. “Its about prevention,” said Bui. (call 776-4963 for more information on genetic counseling at Lewis-Gale.)
By Gene Marrano [email protected]