Jeffrey Weitzel, MD

Expanding access to genetic screening and breast cancer prevention in Latin America.

Impact

Breast cancer risk reduction includes genetic cancer risk assessment. However, accessing genetic counseling, detecting high-risk individuals and offering treatment requires an infrastructure that supports public access to both genetic testing and risk reduction surgery. Access to these services is limited in Latin America. The goal of Dr. Weitzel’s Genomic Risk Assessment for Cancer Implementation and Sustainment (GRACIAS) project is to address disparities and characterize the genetic risk for breast cancer in Latin America through dissemination and implementation of genetic cancer risk assessment, ultimately enabling critical and timely breast cancer interception and prevention interventions for patients and their families.

Progress Thus Far

Dr. Weitzel is implementing genetic cancer risk assessment at pilot sites in Latin America as well as new sites in the region. To date, Dr. Weitzel and his team have received blood samples from more than 600 patients for inherited breast cancer risk testing, including 70 from family members where the team previously identified a breast cancer predisposition gene finding. With BCRF support, the team has enrolled high risk families in their research registry and will be able to follow up with them and observe the interception and prevention interventions they choose. Dr. Weitzel has established a new team in Mexico and opened two clinical sites for risk assessment. The team conducted a site visit in Mexico City that included hospital visits, lectures, and a needs assessment where strengths and limitations were assessed for GRACIAS protocol implementation. The team has seen that despite limited resources, patients in their affiliated Latin American clinics were able to receive risk-reduction surgery comparable to Hispanics and non-Hispanics in safety-net hospitals the US.

What’s next

Dr. Weitzel and his team will expand recruitment to the study alongside partners in Peru, Colombia, and Mexico. They are working to establish a bank of biospecimens and develop a new workflow for genetic testing and analysis.