Speaker Profile

MS, LGC, Associate Director, Division of Human Genetics; Associate Director, Biospecimen Research; Professor, Licensed Genetic Counselor, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC)
Biography

Heather Hampel is an internationally-recognized cancer genetic counselor with a particular emphasis on universal tumor screening of all colorectal (CRC) and endometrial cancer patients for Lynch syndrome. This work changed the standard-of-care genetic screening practices in CRC patients. Heather is the PI of the Ohio Colorectal Cancer Prevention Initiative (OCCPI). OCCPI is a multi-center study (50 hospitals) which provides universal tumor screening for Lynch syndrome and other hereditary cancer syndromes, genetic counseling and testing for at-risk family members, and technology-driven interventions to improve adherence to CRC screening. OCCPI just demonstrated that 16% of early-onset CRC patients have a hereditary cancer syndrome. Heather Hampel was on the Board of Directors for the American Board of Genetic Counseling from 2006-2011, serving as President in 2009 and 2010. She is President-elect of the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancer and a Steering Committee member of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable.

Session Abstract – PMWC 2017 Silicon Valley

Session Synopsis: Despite the impressive advances in precision medicine, none have been effectively implemented in standard medical practice. Within the realm of genetics, hereditary cancer testing was one of the earliest advances and is now poised to be the first to achieve proper adoption. We will discuss the barriers to adoption, why it will be important to implement broader screening, and what this means for the adoption of precision medicine more generally.

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