Promoters of advanced oncogenetics open online training and multimedia raise awareness on multidisciplinary assessment of patients and their families at risk of hereditary or familial cancer Erasmus Project

Project Title

Promoters of advanced oncogenetics open online training and multimedia raise awareness on multidisciplinary assessment of patients and their families at risk of hereditary or familial cancer

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Health and wellbeing

Project Summary

Every day, worldwide, millions of people fight a battle against cancer, undergoing devastating therapies that hugely impact on their Quality of Life. Over the next 2 decades, the number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70% (WHO, 2017). Oncogenetics can contribute to change this future scenario, addressing those people for which prevention is still possible and the disease’s onset avoidable.
This medical discipline, in progressive expansion, is focused on understanding and monitoring the genetic predispositions of persons at risk, because of mutations or family histories of cancer.
Through guided professional decisions, the implementation of evidence-based prevention strategies will lead to considerable improvements in clinical decisions and outcomes. In order to move towards this predictive system, it is essential to raise awareness of those vulnerable people and to empower them.
On this basis, it will be possible to facilitate an appropriate checking and an early detection of prodromes, as well as the modification of harmful habits and behaviours.

The focus of the project is to raise awareness on the importance of the existence and expansion of oncogenetics, as a discipline depending on advances in understanding genes associated with inherited susceptibility to common adult malignancies. The objective of oncogenetics is to understand genetic predisposition to cancers and care for persons at risk. Genetic predispositions are often associated with a family history of cancer. However, cancers are very frequent and family histories exist, so a family history of cancer is not synonymous with a genetic predisposition. The purpose of a genetic consultation is to determine the share of family history and possible predisposition. Genetic tests, stills seldom practiced, sometimes confirm a hereditary origin. If an alteration is identified in a family, it can be sought in its relations. This makes it possible to reassure those having no predisposition and following up those at risk.

Target groups:
– Medical specialists: specialist in oncogenetics, oncogenetics adviser, psychologist, oncologist, gynecologist, epidemiologist, geneticist, surgeon, specialist in molecular biology, bioethics specialist and medical management
– Patients and their families at risk of hereditary or familial cancer
– Medical institutions
– Lecturers in medicine (Medical Universities)
– Educational centres
– Public at large

The project actions and results are the following:
– A multidisciplinary consultancy group, of 57 specialists from 11 different medical specialisations, from 4 countries
– 4 Mapping researches on situation/strategies/support institutions and specialists/best practices of the genetic consultancy/oncogenetics at Central and East European level
– Profiles of the specialists of the multidisciplinary consulting group in oncogenetics (13 profiles)
– Training guide for advanced high-specialized intervention in oncogenetics (2 Modules – Module I, including 2 parts (part 1 – 9 chapters; part 2 – 14 chapters), Module II, including 4 parts (11 chapters); 20 experts involved in writing the chapters)
– Open Online Course on Oncogenetics ( 3 Online Courses – Module I, EN, 33 lessons, 33 quizzes, 96 participants; Module II, EN, 12 lessons, 1 quiz, 40 participants; Module II, EN, 15 lessons, 1 quiz, 17 participants)
– HOPE Mobile APP – predict & keep informed on the risk of cancer (available in 5 languages)
– Chart on Oncogenetics standards and procedures for medical institutions (available in 5 languages) + Hereditary predisposition panel analysis
– From a past of illness towards a future of health – Guides, informative and multimedia materials to raise awareness of patients and families with a history of hereditary or familiar cancer on the importance of undergoing risk assessment through appropriate procedures (Flyers, Video Animations, Video Testimonial from patients, Stand-up Video material)
– Multiplier events: New frontiers in dealing with cancer – HOPE – How Oncogenetics Predicts & Educates
– International online trainings with medical specialists on advanced oncogenetics (96 medical specialists enrolled in Module I and 53 medical specialists participated in Module II, versions in EN or FR)

Summing up the project activities/products, HOPE project is innovative through the following aspects:
– three-dimensional addressability – multidisciplinary consultancy groups of medical specialists, general medical specialists and family doctors, patients and their families at risk of hereditary or familial cancer
– training on advanced high-specialized intervention in oncogenetics
– creation of open online course in the field of oncogenetics
– software and mobile phone applications – for supporting the friendly access of specialists and patients, family members to tools for cancer risk informing and screening

Project Website

http://hope.projects.umfiasi.ro/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 270978,47 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE GRIGORE T POPA DIN IASI & Country: RO

Project Partners

• FUNDATIA EUROED
• MEDITCINSKY UNIVERSITET-PLOVDIV
• GREENSOFT
• SZEGEDI TUDOMANYEGYETEM
• Centre Jean PERRIN
• Asociatia ROHEALTH – Clusterul pentru sanatate