Associations Between Hereditary Cancer Panel Predisposition Genes and Breast Cancer Subtypes with Fergus Couch, PhD

This webinar will review data from peer-reviewed literature previously presented or under-review that compares data among >150,000 individuals tested for hereditary cancer predisposition genes using a multigene panel testing approach. Data presented will distinguish between lobular and ductal breast cancer associations by gene as well as a comparison of association with underlying predisposition for breast cancer by histological subtype (ie: ER, PR & Her2neu status).

Fergus J. Couch, PhD | Presenter

Dr. Couch is a Professor and Chair of the Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, with a joint appointment in the Department of Health Sciences Research. The research in his laboratory is focused on characterization of genes and variants involved in susceptibility to breast and pancreatic cancer using genetic, genetic epidemiology, and functional approaches. Dr. Couch is a founder and leader of several national and international consortia in cancer genetics. In particular, he formed the Evidence-based Network for the Interpretation of Germline Mutant Alleles (ENIGMA) consortium that focuses on determining the clinical relevance of inherited variants in the BRCA1, BRCA2, and other cancer predisposition genes. He is a co-founder of the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 (CIMBA), a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Consortium (TNBCC), and is a long-term member of the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. Working with members of these consortia, Dr. Couch has led genome-wide association studies to identify common genetic variants that influence risk of estrogen receptor (ER) negative and triple negative breast cancer and modify risks of breast cancer among carriers of germline BRCA1and BRCA2 mutations. He is also a leader in the Global Alliance for Genomic Health BRCA Challenge and the Prospective Registry of Multiplex Testing (PROMPT) initiatives that are aimed at understanding alterations in cancer predisposition genes. Dr. Couch is also a principal investigator of the Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Patient Registry (MCBCS), a long term follow up study of all newly diagnosed breast cancer patients attending the Mayo Clinic, and is a member of the Mayo Clinic Breast and Pancreatic SPORE grants. Dr. Couch has published 450 peer reviewed articles. In 2013 Dr. Couch received the Mayo Clinic Investigator of the Year award, and in 2016 was named the AACR Outstanding Investigator for Breast Cancer Research.

Selvi Palaniappan, MS, CGC | Moderator

Selvi Palaniappan is a certified genetic counselor and Oncology Genetic Specialist at Ambry Genetics. Prior to gaining her M.S. in Genetic Counseling from University of California, Irvine, Selvi was a researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at University of Michigan. She joined Ambry after more than 20 years of working clinically at Emory University, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, and most recently, developing a cancer genetics program at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.