Wellness - Cancer Risk and Prevention
Genetic Counseling
Hereditary Cancer Risk Counseling
The Cancer Center of Santa Barbara is a member of the City of Hope’s
Cancer Screening and Prevention Program Network TM. Offering this program at the Cancer Center reflects our ongoing commitment to bringing state-of-the-art treatment and research to our community. We believe that knowledge is power and that comprehensive cancer risk counseling can give individuals the information they need to make informed choices.
Our expert staff knows the best ways to help
Hereditary cancer risk counseling is a comprehensive process. Our program is staffed by some of the most highly qualified professionals in the country.
Jeffery N. Weitzel, MD, Director of the City of Hope’s Cancer Screening and Prevention Program Network TM
Deborah MacDonald, RN, MS, APNG, Assistant Director of the City of Hope’s Cancer Screening and Prevention Program Network TM and Cancer Risk Counselor
Frederic C. Kass, MD, Medical Oncologist and Director of Wellness and the Colon Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Program
Lisa Hashbarger, Health Education Coordinator and on-site coordinator of the Cancer Screening and Prevention Program
Annette Aguirre, Administrative Assistant
Hereditary cancer - are you at risk?
Many people believe that cancer strikes randomly. But that is not always the case. Sometimes, hereditary or genetic factors increase an individual’s risk for cancer.
Recent advances in medical research clearly indicate a link between genes and cancer. This link is often strongest in individuals or families where:
- Cancer occurs at a much younger age than average
- Cancer occurs in more than one generation
- More than one type of cancer occurs in the same close relative
- Cancer occurs in both breasts
- Breast cancer occurs in a man
- Cancer occurs in several close relatives on the same side of the family
- Several rare cancers occur in a family
Individuals who have one of more of these key indicators in their personal or family history may want to consider the City of Hope’s Cancer Screening and Prevention Program Network TM. We encourage individuals to discuss this program with their physician(s). Individuals may also self-refer to this program. Appointments are made for those who fit the criteria established for hereditary risk counseling.
How the Cancer Screening and Prevention Program works
Two days each month a Cancer Risk Counselor from the City of Hope is available to meet with individuals and family members at the Cancer Center. Through the generosity of local donors, this initial consultation is available at no cost to residents of Santa Barbara County.
The comprehensive genetic counseling we provide takes a three-step approach in helping individuals understand and minimize risks.
1. Individuals meet with our expert clinical staff to review their family’s history in an attempt to uncover any cancer patterns. Risks that may arise from personal and/or environmental factors are also discussed.
2. The Cancer Screening and Prevention Program staff provides an assessment of cancer risk and steps individuals can take to lessen the likelihood of developing cancer. Counseling about various prevention, screening and early detection strategies is provided. If genetic testing is indicated, individuals will be fully educated about the process so that they may make an informed decision.
3. If an individual chooses to undergo genetic testing, a blood sample is taken and analyzed. Results are private and confidential and are shared in person on a subsequent visit to the Cancer Screening and Prevention Program Network TM at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California (near Pasadena). Cancer management options and recommendations are also discussed thoroughly at this time.
All It Takes Is A Little Knowledge to Minimize The Risk and Increase The Chances of Outsmarting Cancer.
For more information about the City of Hope’s Cancer Screening and Prevention Program Network TM at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara, contact Lisa Hashbarger at
(805) 569-2243.
