Familial cancer online training and resources

Cancer Council Victoria advocates and supports general practitioners to accurately assess patients’ personal and family histories of cancer to identify if they need referral to a Familial Cancer Centre.

Patients who present with a family history can be anxious about what it means to them and may require a different pathway to what they have prepared for. As we know, patients who express concerns that cancer 'runs in their family', may not mean they have a genetic susceptibility to cancer or an altered gene.

In collaboration with Victorian Familial Cancer Centres, this information aims to provide general practitioners relevant advice on how to risk assess, support, and refer patients onto Familial Cancer Centres. It also contains  links to resources to build knowledge and training modules to further develop applicable skills.

What you’ll find on this page:

• Risk assessing patients with a family history of cancer
• Next steps if a patient has an inherited altered cancer gene
• Find a Victorian Familial Cancer Centre
• Familial cancer online training module
• Other useful resources and tools

Risk assessing patients with a family history of cancer

If a patient presents with a family history of cancer, that does not mean they should automatically be referred to a Familial Cancer Centre.

It's important to assess a patient’s level of risk of an inherited altered gene that increases their susceptibility to cancer.

To determine a patient’s level of risk, you will need to compile a basic family tree and history of cancer.

Once a patient’s brief family history has been compiled, please refer to the eviQ GP referral guidelines for cancer genetics assessment  to complete a risk assessment.

Here are additional resources to assist with assessing risk:

• iPrevent tool: an Australian tool designed for self-administration by women and collaborative use with clinicians and is the only tool that links the breast cancer risk assessment directly to the relevant risk management guidelines. 
• CanRisk Web tool: this online clinical tool can be used to calculate the future risks of developing breast or ovarian cancer using information on family history, lifestyle/hormonal risk factors, rare pathogenic variants in moderate and high-risk breast/ovarian cancer susceptibility genes, common breast/ovarian cancer genetic susceptibility variants (Polygenic Risk Scores) and mammographic density. It can also be used to calculate the likelihood of carrying mutations in the moderate to high-risk genes BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, CHEK2, BARD1, RAD51C and RAD51D.

Based on the patient’s level of risk, there are different follow up steps to take, for example:

Next steps if your patient has an inherited altered cancer gene

If your patient has accessed Familial Cancer Centre services and is identified as having an inherited altered gene, you can access clinician resources to help guide treatment and ongoing risk management and care.

Here are additional resources you can access to support patients with a genetic cancer susceptibility:

• eviQ Cancer Genetics Patient support resources: fact sheets for specific types of genetic cancers providing general information about: the increased risk of cancer for those with an inherited altered gene; how this risk may be managed; and what this may mean for family members. 
• NSW Centre for Genetics Education:  resources for patients to assist in understanding different aspects of cancer genetic testing, risk management, as well as guidance for talking to their family about genetic information.

Find a Victorian Familial Cancer Centre

Please note, due to COVID-19, the majority of Familial Cancer Centre consultation appointments are conducted via telehealth.

Austin Health Clinical Genetics Service

Parkville Familial Cancer Centre

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

The Royal Melbourne Hospital

Monash Health Familial Cancer Centre

Familial cancer online training modules

Developed by Cancer Council Victoria, Referral to Familial Cancer Centres for assessment of hereditary cancer risk | ThinkGP is an online education module that aims to improve GP understanding about altered genes of BRCA1 and BRCA2 and Lynch syndrome, risk assessing patients and referral to Familial Cancer Centres.

It is free and practical, and offers RACGP and ACRRM professional development credits.

Time: 1.5 educational activity hours

Access the ThinkGP training module

Other useful resources and tools

These additional clinical resources can help general practitioners provide the best support to a patient who may be susceptible of hereditary cancer.

• eviQ Cancer genetics resources fact sheet for GPs
• Centre for Genetics Education – Cancer Website:  resources for health professionals to assist patients with a family history of cancer.
• Genomics in General Practice – Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
• Learn-genomics: developed by Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance.
• Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance
• GP referral guide for BRCA1 and BRCA2 risk assessment: Cancer Council guide to support GPs to risk assess patients for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutated genes and refer them to a Familial Cancer Centre.
• GP referral guide for Lynch syndrome risk assessment:  Cancer Council guide to support GPs to risk assess patients for Lynch syndrome mutated genes and refer them to a Familial Cancer Centre.
• Lynch Syndrome Australia website:  information to empower individuals and families identified with this altered cancer gene.
• Pink Hope website: an Australian-based preventative health hub that provides consumers and health professionals the tools to assess, manage and reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
• Ovarian Cancer Australia webinar recording:  information on genetics and ovarian cancer including the importance of genetic testing and the difference between germline and somatic testing. Clinical implications of genetic testing are discussed, both in terms of treatment and the implications for personal and family cancer risks.