FY25 UK/UL Joint Program Inherited Cancer Risk Program

One paragraph summarizing the purpose of the application (abstract) Project Inherited Cancer Risk (PICR) is an IRB-approved clinical study that has been open at Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH) at the University of Kentucky (UK) since 2021. The goal of PICR is to offer germline cancer predisposition screening to all children, adolescents and young adults who have been diagnosed with pediatric cancer. We are now interested in expanding PICR to Norton Children’s Hospital (NCH) at the University of Louisville (US) as a multi-site clinical study to establish a Kentucky-wide program to identify and optimally manage these patients and their families. This program involves NextGen focused exome sequencing for a panel of established cancer predisposition genes, an investigational panel of possible cancer predisposition genes along with optional inclusion of pharmacogenomic genes and bio banking for future research. A critical part of the project will be the development of a multidisciplinary statewide pediatric germline molecular tumor board to consider cases and make management recommendations. Lay summary of the proposal (one paragraph) About one in every ten children, adolescents and young adults with cancer has a “cancer predisposition syndrome (CPS),” meaning they have inherited a trait from one of their parents that gives them a higher risk of cancer. It is very important to identify patients with a cancer predisposition syndrome to best treat their cancer, to catch any future cancers at an early stage and to determine if others in their family are also at a higher risk of cancer. Recognizing cancer predisposition syndromes can be hard, so we are proposing a clinical study to help identify these patients as early as possible. Project Inherited Cancer Risk (PICR), the name of our study, is a research study that will test pediatric, adolescent and young adult patients with cancer at Kentucky Children’s Hospital (University of Kentucky) and at Norton Children’s Hospital (University of Louisville) for these syndromes and bring together the experts to discuss each patient’s results in a personalized way to make sure they get the care they need.