Date of Award
5-2020
Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Abstract
The widespread use of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has allowed multi-gene panel testing to become common practice in clinical cancer genetic testing over the past six years. Over this time, guidelines have been established and modified, but there is no consensus on how panel testing should be utilized in cancer genetic counseling. There is also limited research into how cancer genetic testing is ordered among different providers. In our study, 1,402 cancer genetic tests were ordered by a variety of provider types from a large academic institution consisting of 16 private and public hospitals as well as a laboratory serving the Long Island and New York City metropolitan area. Data was collected between 01/01/2018 and 09/30/2019 and analyzed to identify discrepancies in the ordering practices among different provider types. Out of the 1,402 cancer genetic tests ordered, 505 were general multi-gene panels, 330 of which were ordered by genetic counselors and geneticists, and the other 175 were ordered by a variety of non-genetics providers. Based on our analysis, there is a statistically significant difference (P-value < 0.0001) in test ordering practices among genetics and non-genetics providers. Our study serves as a foundation for future research into these discrepancies, as well as for research into how to rectify these differences in test ordering practice.
Recommended Citation
Costantin, Lauren and Grgas, Tiana, "Test Ordering Practices in Cancer Genetic Counseling" (2020). Human Genetics Theses. 81.
https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/genetics_etd/81