Explore Webinar 3 "How We Do It: Care of AYAs."

Rita Matos, PhD - CGA-IGC Communications Committee

In our most recent CGA IGC webinar session, "How We Do It: Care of AYAs," we explored the best practices for managing care in adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer predisposition syndromes. We were joined by three outstanding professionals: Stacy Hines-Dowell, DNP, FNP-BC, AGN-BC, ACGN; Melissa Perrino, MD; and Rose McGee, MS, CGC.

Together, they provided valuable guidance and shared real-world examples to support a smooth, patient-centered transition from pediatric to adult healthcare systems for individuals at risk.

The session opened with Stacy Hines-Dowell, who shared insights from more than a decade of experience with the St. Jude Cancer Predisposition Program. This program offers coordinated, multidisciplinary care to families affected by hereditary cancer syndromes. Stacy outlined six core tenets of their transition model, which emphasize age-appropriate education, psychosocial support, and the gradual development of autonomy. The ultimate goal is to equip AYA patients with the knowledge and confidence to manage their genetic risk effectively.

Following this, Dr. Melissa Perrino presented an overview of the program’s workflow, focusing on patients between the ages of 16 and 18. She highlighted how early planning, regular follow-ups, and multidisciplinary coordination help patients become informed advocates for their own healthcare.

A dedicated transition team meets twice monthly to prepare for upcoming visits, evaluating each patient's specific needs, including personal and familial cancer history, as well as psychosocial factors. This individualized approach reinforces the importance of holistic, team-based care.

The session concluded with Rose McGee, who shared outcomes from the St. Jude transition program. Over just 2.5 years, the team has supported more than 100 patients spanning 30 distinct hereditary cancer syndromes. These results emphasize the growing need for structured transition frameworks as genetic testing identifies more individuals and families with elevated cancer risk.

This webinar reinforced the vital importance of longitudinal, multidisciplinary, and patient-centered care. As the number of families living with inherited cancer risk continues to rise, it's essential to build systems that not only improve clinical outcomes but also empower at-risk individuals to take an active role in managing their health journey.

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Our webinars are a valuable member benefit, and we encourage you to sign up as a member so you can join the live webinars and access our earlier webinar series on demand!

You might also like to explore our podcasts. The CGA-IGC Research Collaboration series or others from the CGA-IGC Podcast Series (Seasons 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7) presented by the CGA-IGC Education Committee. Or, explore our Expert Approach to Hereditary Gastrointestinal Cancers podcast series (Seasons 1 and 2).

We're also on Spotify!

Also, looking for other educational resources? Toolkits? Journal scans?

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