Dr. Cheng on the Goals of the GENTleMEN Trial in Prostate Cancer

Heather H. Cheng, MD, PhD, associate professor, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, associate member, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and director, Prostate Cancer Genetics Clinic, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses the goals of the ongoing GENTleMEN trial (NCT03503097) in prostate cancer.

The GENTleMEN trial, which has been open since 2007, is a web-based study where men answer questions about their family history, as well as their knowledge and distress of genetic testing. The questionnaire takes approximately 40 minutes for most patients, and if they meet qualifications, they are mailed a saliva kit, explains Cheng. If patients have a relevant mutation, a genetic counselor will discuss the results either by phone or in person.

In 2016, a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the prevalence of inherited cancer risk mutations in DNA repair genes was approximately 12% in the metastatic prostate cancer setting, according to Cheng. Subsequently, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines specified that all men with metastatic prostate cancer should be considered for genetic testing, added Cheng.

To date, data from the GENTleMEN suggests that the prevalence for this population for genetic testing is approximately 10%, says Cheng. Despite the rise in genetic testing, ancillary questions such as delivery method and patient satisfaction still need to be addressed if online genetic counseling is to be adopted into clinical practice, concludes Cheng.