Adolescent and parent perspectives on genomic sequencing to inform cancer care

Next-generation sequencing offers opportunities for targeted cancer therapies and may identify pathogenic germline variants. Adolescents' perception of testing is not well understood. We surveyed 16 adolescents and 59 parents regarding motivations, attitudes, and knowledge related to paired tumor/germline sequencing. Participants generally had a good objective understanding of germline genetics and cancer risk, with parents scoring higher than adolescents. Nearly all participants were motivated by a desire to help other patients and to treat their child/themselves. Most adolescents reported involvement in the decision to enroll in the study. Study findings suggest important similarities and differences between parent and adolescent views.