Counselling and Support for Families with Inherited Cancer
Syndromes
Monday, 22 June 2009 - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monika Keller MD
Only in English / Ausschließlich auf Englisch
Target Audience:
Clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, genetic counselors,
nurses involved in genetic counseling, any clinician involved in the care of
families with familial cancer syndromes.
Workshop Objectives:
The workshop shall enable participants to:
- Describe topics that are important
to families with an inherited cancer syndrome
- Actively address these topics within genetic
counseling
- Identify families at elevated
risk of psychosocial problems and to provide adequate support
Workshop Description:
Individuals at increased risk of cancer and families with
inherited cancer predispositions (HNPCC, HBOC, FAP)
represent a new group in the health care system and, in particular, in
the field of psychooncology.
This workshop aims at providing insight into some particular clinical features
of inherited cancer syndromes, that should be actively addressed in order
to enhance individuals’ and families’ adjustment during the
phase of genetic testing and also beyond.
An overview is provided of psychosocial challenges
families with familial cancer syndromes commonly are facing during the
course of genetic counseling
and testing. This includes the impact of the family’s previous experiences
with cancer and death on their belief systems, on their personal theories
of illness and inheritance, on developmental tasks and on family relationships
and communication. Since experiential knowledge profoundly shapes current
perceptions this knowledge needs to be actively incorporated in the process
of genetic counseling, to ascertain that families can integrate the ‘genetic
news’ within their experiential background.
Several case reports, each of them focusing on a specific problem will
be presented for discussion with workshop participants (participants presenting
own cases are welcome).
Based on clinical experience and on family systems theory, recommendations
are provided and discussed for comprehensive psychosocial assessment and
monitoring, that includes the identification of individuals and families
probably at increased psychosocial risk and in need for further interventions.
An agenda is proposed how to establish multidisciplinary collaboration
with clinicians and geneticists, and how to provide adequate counseling
and support for families at risk of hereditary cancer syndromes within
a multidisciplinary context.
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