Genetic Testing for Prostate Cancer: Advances and Considerations with Veda Giri, MD

Germline testing for prostate cancer is becoming central to cancer care. Multiple genes predict risk for prostate cancer to varying degrees, and several are now crucial to candidacy for precision therapies for men with metastatic prostate cancer. Across the stage and risk spectrum, germline testing is relevant for informing hereditary cancer risks for men and their families. Given this rising volume of men meeting criteria for genetic testing, there is a need to address delivery of germline testing and genetic counseling. This presentation will provide a brief overview of genetic contribution to prostate cancer risk and precision treatment, principles of genetic counseling, and guidance on delivery of germline prostate cancer testing from the 2019 Philadelphia Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference.

Veda Giri, MD | Presenter

Associate Professor - Medical Oncology, Cancer Biology, and Urology & Director, Cancer Risk Assessment and Clinical Cancer Genetics, Thomas Jefferson University

Veda N. Giri, MD is an Associate Professor in Medical Oncology, Cancer Biology, and Urology at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University. She is a medical oncologist with specialization in clinical cancer genetics. Dr. Giri is Director of Cancer Risk Assessment and Clinical Cancer Genetics at Thomas Jefferson University, where she leads an integrated and comprehensive effort in inherited cancer risk assessment and conducts studies focused on genetic evaluation of cancer risk. She has focused interest in developing the field of genetic counseling and genetic testing for inherited prostate cancer. Dr. Giri started the first Men’s Genetic Risk Clinic in the US in 2014 focused on genetic evaluation of inherited prostate cancer in the setting of multidisciplinary care. Dr. Giri also co-chaired the 2017 and 2019 Philadelphia Prostate Cancer Consensus Conferences that addressed development of comprehensive frameworks for genetic evaluation and implementation of genetic testing for prostate cancer. She is the Principal Investigator of multiple prostate cancer genetic evaluation studies spanning genetic counseling, genetic testing, disparities, behavioral, and implementation research.

Dr. Giri received her medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College (previously Jefferson Medical College) and proceeded to complete her residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Hematology-Oncology at the University of Michigan. She then completed advanced training in molecular cancer genetics and cancer risk assessment at Fox Chase Cancer Center. She also has a certification in cancer risk assessment from City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Giri has served on national committees including the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Prostate Cancer Early Detection Panel, NIH PDQ® Cancer Genetics Editorial Board, ASCO Clinical Guidelines Committee, and ASCO Cancer Prevention Committee contributing expertise in cancer risk assessment and genetics.

Mary Pritzlaff, MS, CGC | Moderator

Supervisor, Cancer Reporting, Ambry Genetics

Mary Pritzlaff is a Cancer Reporting Supervisor at Ambry Genetics. She has been a member of the Ambry team since 2014, specializing in variant assessment and reporting. Her research interests include cancer genetics, alternative service delivery models and personalized medicine, she is a NSGC Practice Guidelines Committee Author and is the NSGC Cancer SIG Secretary elect for 2021-2023. Mary is a Fightin’ Texas Aggie and earned her Master’s Degree in Genetic Counseling from the University of Cincinnati.