Improving attendance to genetic counselling services for gynaecological oncology patients

Gynaecological cancers may be the sentinel malignancy in women who carry a mutation in BRCA1 or 2, a mis-match repair gene causing Lynch Syndrome or other genes. Despite published guidelines for referral to a genetics service, a substantial number of women do not attend for the recommended genetic assessment. The study aims to determine the outcomes of systematic follow-up of patients diagnosed with ovarian or endometrial cancer from Gynaecologic-oncology multidisciplinary meetings who were deemed appropriate for genetics assessment.

Women newly diagnosed with gynaecological cancer at the Royal Hospital for Women between 2010 and 2014 (cohort1) and 2015-2016 (cohort 2) who were identified as suitable for genetics assessment were checked against the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory genetic database. The doctors of non-attenders were contacted regarding suitability for re-referral, and patients who were still suitable for genetics assessment were contacted by mail. Attendance was again checked against the genetics database.

Among 462 patients in cohort 1, flagged for genetic assessment, 167 had not consulted a genetic service at initial audit conducted in 2014. 86 (18.6%) women whose referral was pending clarification of family history and/or immunohistochemistry did not require further genetic assessment. Letters were sent to 40 women. 7 women (1.5%) attended hereditary cancer clinic in the following 6 months.The audit conducted in 2016 identified 148 patients (cohort 2) appropriate for genetic assessment at diagnosis. 66 (44.6%) had been seen by a genetics service, 51 (34.5%) whose referral was pending additional information did not require further genetic assessment. Letters were sent to 15 women, of whom 9 (6.1%) attended genetics within 6 months.

To improve the effectiveness of guidelines for the genetic referral of women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer, clinicians need to obtain a thorough family history at diagnosis; arrange for reflex MMR IHC according to guidelines; offer BRCA or panel testing to all women with non-mucinous ovarian cancer prior to discharge and systematically follow up all women referred to genetics at the post-op visit.