Could you be at risk for gastrointestinal cancer? One in 10 gastrointestinal cancers is familial, and those with a genetic mutation are at an elevated risk for developing cancer. But many physicians are unaware of this relationship, and the standard prevention measures – such as having a colonoscopy once a decade starting at age 50 – may be inadequate. Knowing about one's cancer risk may make the difference.

A gift from Gordon (left) and Betty Moore (right) will endow a genetic counselorship with the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program, led by Jonathan Terdiman (center).

A recent $2.5 million pledge from Gordon and Betty Moore will endow a genetic counselor position in the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program (GCPP) in the Division of Gastroenterology at UCSF, and help close the knowledge gap. UCSF has the only program in the western United States to provide genetic counseling services focused on gastrointestinal cancer prevention.

"It was something that was important, and seemed very difficult to fund as well," says Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel Corp. "So it was just something that we wanted to do."

Genetic counselors in the GCPP work with patients who have cancer or a family history of cancer to compile the patient's family medical history. The counselor conducts additional genetic "detective work," such as requesting medical records, tumor or other biological samples, and death certificates of relatives who have had cancer. The samples (which may include cells from the inside of the cheek, blood, hair, skin, amniotic fluid or other tissue) undergo genetic testing to reveal mutations in chromosomes, DNA or proteins, improving the results of the investigation.

For patients who test negative for a gene mutation, it is a tremendous relief. Those who test positive work with their genetic counselor to develop a tailored plan for prevention and early detection of cancer. The counselor also provides emotional support in dealing with a positive test result, which often has implications for other relatives in the extended family.

"This service is really life saving," says Jonathan Terdiman, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine and director of the GCPP. "The Moores' gift will directly translate into saving more lives in high-risk families. It will also allow us to educate more families and physicians about measuring elevated risk for cancer, and how to mitigate it."

For information on the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program, contact Olivia Herbert at 415/476-9878 or OHerbert@support.ucsf.edu.