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Review
. 2022 Jan;31(1):109-126.
doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2021.08.004. Epub 2021 Oct 19.

Disparities in Genetic Testing for Heritable Solid-Tumor Malignancies

Jacquelyn Dillon  1 , Foluso O Ademuyiwa  2 , Megan Barrett  3 , Haley A Moss  4 , Elizabeth Wignall  5 , Carolyn Menendez  6 , Kevin S Hughes  7 , Jennifer K Plichta  8
Affiliations
Review

Disparities in Genetic Testing for Heritable Solid-Tumor Malignancies

Jacquelyn Dillon et al. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

Genetic testing offers providers a potentially life saving tool for identifying and intervening in high-risk individuals. However, disparities in receipt of genetic testing have been consistently demonstrated and undoubtedly have significant implications for the populations not receiving the standard of care. If correctly used, there is the potential for genetic testing to play a role in decreasing health disparities among individuals of different races and ethnicities. However, if genetic testing continues to revolutionize cancer care while being disproportionately distributed, it also has the potential to widen the existing mortality gap between various racial and ethnic populations.

Keywords: Disparities; Genetic testing; Germline genetic testing; Hereditary cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure K.S. Hughes receives Honoraria from Hologic (surgical implant for radiation planning with breast conservation and wire-free breast biopsy) and Myriad Genetics and has a financial interest in CRA Health (Formerly Hughes RiskApps). CRA Health develops risk assessment models/software with a particular focus on breast cancer and colorectal cancer. K.S. Hughes is a founder and owns equity in the company. K.S. Hughes is the Co-Creator of Ask2Me.Org, which is freely available for clinical use and is licensed for commercial use by the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the MGH. KH’s interests in CRA Health and Ask2Me.Org were reviewed and are managed by Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners Health Care in accordance with their conflict-of-interest policies. JP is the recipient of a research grant from the Color Foundation.

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