The goal of the GENERATE Study is to improve genetic testing and cancer prevention in family members of pancreatic cancer patients who may have genetic mutations (inherited changes). The study will measure how different methods of genetic education increase the rate of genetic testing in these families. This is an investigational study to measure the effects of two methods of genetic education. Participants may elect to undergo genetic testing as part of the study and will be asked to provide a saliva sample via a saliva-testing kit. The genetic testing done in this study is FDA approved and will be processed in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified laboratory. Up to 1,000 participants will be enrolled in this study.
Around 1 in 10 (10%) pancreatic cancer patients carries an inherited change (mutation) in a gene which can increase the risk of cancer. Relatives of patients with pancreatic cancer are often unaware that the mutation can be passed down through the family. Having information about genetic risk can be important to family members. There may be options for early and/or more frequent screening (to look for cancer or pre-cancer) or early detection recommendations. This research is being done to study the impact of different methods of teaching about and offering genetic testing to family members of pancreatic cancer patients who may carry a mutation. Study arms: Individuals will be randomized (like flipping a coin) by family to one of the two study arms to receive genetic education and elect to undergo genetic testing. Individuals in Arm 1 (video conference platform plus Color Genomics) will receive genetic education via a pre-recorded educational video and interactive session with the study team through an internet-based platform. Individuals in Arm 2 (Color Genomics Only) will receive genetic education from Color Genomics, Inc., an online, commercial genetic testing service. Informed consent: Participants will be asked to provide informed consent in order to join the study. Study questionnaires: Questionnaires will be given at baseline and throughout the duration of the study. Participants will be asked to complete questionnaires through the online study database, called REDCap (paper questionnaires are also an option). The baseline questionnaires will ask participants about their medical history, their experience with pancreatic cancer and other relevant health behaviors. The follow-up questionnaires will ask about how much participants worried about cancer, how participants made choices, their knowledge gained and how much families shared genetic test results (if participants chose to get testing). The study will also ask about participants' choices to have pancreas exams and other surveillance (long-term screening) procedures, and their lifestyle choices after receiving the intervention. Genetic testing: GENERATE offers genetic testing at no cost to participants in the study. Color Genomics will provide the genetic testing services for the study. Participants will be directed to create a personal Color Genomics account that will allow them to enter their personal and family history information, keep track of their genetic testing kit and receive their genetic test results. Participants will be mailed an FDA-approved saliva collection kit from Color Genomics. When participants receive the kit in the mail, they will be able to use the kit's unique barcode number to activate it and link it to their online account. A video on the website will show participants how to provide a large enough saliva sample. It will also contain instructions for how to properly package and mail back the kit to Color Genomics using a pre-paid shipping package. Getting test results: It usually takes about 4-6 weeks to get the results back from this genetic test. Participants will receive an email letting them know that their results are available for review through their Color Genomics account or via a phone call with a Color Genomics genetic counselor. Length of study: The total participation on this study will last about 18 months, including follow-up. Participants may be contacted regarding participation in future studies.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
1,000
Doxy.me is a HIPAA compliant telemedicine platform that allows clinicians to provide education to remote patients. Genetic education via Doxy.me will consist of a pre-recorded genetic education video and a live interactive video conferencing session with a GENERATE genetic counselor. Genetic education via Color Genomics will consist of both written information and an educational video on the Color Genomics website.
Genetic education via Color Genomics will consist of both written information and an educational video on the Color Genomics website.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Change of genetic testing among family members of mutation positive PDAC patients, among family members of mutation positive individuals with a family history of PDAC and among first-degree relatives of PDAC patients
Measure the effect that alternative methods of genetic education and delivery models have on the increase of genetic testing among family members of mutation positive PDAC patients, among family members of mutation positive individuals with a family history of PDAC and among first-degree relatives of PDAC patients in each arm of the intervention study. We will document how many relatives per family elect to undergo genetic testing and compare the results of this measure between both arms of the study.
Time frame: 2 years
Level of cancer-risk distress
Measure the degree that individuals worry about getting cancer using the adapted Lerman Breast Cancer Worry Scale. This is an 8 item scale with a total score ranging from 8-32, with high scores indicating more frequent worries. A cut-off of equal to or greater than 14 will indicate moderate to high cancer worry.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately post intervention, 3-4 months post intervention, 15 months post intervention
Increase of knowledge of genetic testing
Assess the participants' understanding of general concepts learned within a genetic counseling session targeted towards multigene panel testing, including inheritance, inherited cancer risks, possible test results of multi-gene panel testing and limitations, and changes in medical management related to an inherited cancer risk
Time frame: Immediately post intervention
Factors in decision making
Assess the participants perception of how helpful the genetic education was in deciding to pursue genetic testing using a validated 10 item Preparation for Decision Making Scale. This is a brief validated 10 item measure that assesses the participants perception of how useful a decision support intervention is in preparing the participant to make a health decision. Items are summed and scored, and higher scores indicate higher perceived level of preparation.
Time frame: Immediately post intervention
Degree of family communication about genetic test results
Measure items pertaining to disclosure of genetic test results to relatives which includes asking if participants communicated at all with specific family members and if they disclosed results of genetic testing to anyone in their family
Time frame: 3-4 months post intervention, 15 months post intervention
Uptake of surveillance for pancreatic, other associated cancers and health behaviors
Examine appropriate screening (such as mammography, colonoscopy) uptake and health behaviors (i.e. smoking, alcohol use) for those who test positive or negative in both arms of the study
Time frame: Baseline and 15 months post intervention
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