The Role of APPs in Hereditary GI Cancer Care: A Multidisciplinary Approach

Jennifer Fijor ARNP - CGA-IGC Communication Committee Member

CGA-IGC membership brings together the full multidisciplinary hereditary GI cancer care team, including advanced practice providers (APPs).

Through CGA-IGC, members gain access to high-quality educational resources and invaluable networking opportunities that foster collaboration across disciplines, creating a truly unique membership experience.

Learn more about the vital role APPs play in hereditary GI cancer care.  Not yet a CGA-IGC member? Learn more and join HERE

No role in hereditary GI cancer is small.  Everyone has a place to help the end goal, which is patient care. While the field continues to evolve, so do the roles within. An advanced practice provider ( nurse practitioner or physician assistant) can be highly utilized in the field of hereditary GI cancers and offer multiple tangible benefits for both patient care, and a multidisciplinary team.

APPs can help bridge the gap for limited access in care.  They can serve as an integral part in initial genetic counseling, educate patients on inheritance patterns, explain indications to other family members, and also allow for streamlined access for testing.  Other roles can be working with multidisciplinary teams including genetic counselors to ensure pre and post testing counseling, ordering germline testing directly which allows geneticist and genetic counselors to be available for higher complexity cases.  This can also help reduce any bottlenecks in higher volume centers.

The APP can also serve as an essential role for incorporating specific personalized surveillance and prevention guidance to patients depending on their underlying genetic conditions. They can create personalized surveillance plans which may include coordinating endoscopies, colonoscopies; as well as ordering and interpreting labs, imaging, based on  specific hereditary syndromes.

Given many of these hereditary GI cancers come with risks of additional cancers, the APP can additionally be the bridge to multiple disciplines including oncology, surgery, gynecology, dermatology, urology, for coordination of care.

APPs are a great resource for providing longitudinal care. They can help navigate emotional/social impacts with a diagnosis of hereditary cancer, provide education on genetic diseases, as well as risk reduction through diet and lifestyle, chemical prophylaxis, and screening protocols.  

In my clinic, personally, I have created patient-friendly education material to help assist in guiding patients through this difficult course. There are so many creative ways to implement APPs in the realm of hereditary GI cancer.

Let's hear from some of you, how do you incorporate your APPs into your team?

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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. Episode 1 from our Genetic Counselling and Religion Series. 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).

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

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