Genetic testing for prostate cancer

Clinically actionable testing for your patients and their family members

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New data shows prostate cancer is more heritable than previously thought

Study authors recommend all prostate cancer patients receive genetic testing.

The largest study to date on the genetics of prostate cancer has found that 17% of prostate cancer patients have a disease-causing genetic variant associated with more aggressive disease and poorer health outcomes. Previously, that number was thought to be closer to 12%.1

What’s more, the factors frequently used to identify patients who qualify for testing, including family history and Gleason scores, did not correlate with positive variants in the ~3,600 patients tested.

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Benefits of testing

Genetic information impacts medical management and prevention

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When to test

Clear clinical guidelines-based criteria to identify patients at risk

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Test options

A curated prostate cancer panel with the option to expand to more cancer genes

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Invitae advantage

Fast, affordable, high-quality genetic testing you can count on

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Benefits of genetic testing

Genetic testing for prostate cancer can help inform treatment and medical management, as well as aid in the early detection of future cancers.

PATIENTS

 Germline genetic testing may help guide medical management such as:1
  • Risk stratification and surveillance
  • Increased screening for other cancers they may be at risk for
  • Eligibility for clinical trials or research studies
  • Treatment decision-making for chemotherapy, targeted therapy such as PARP inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab

FAMILY MEMBERS
  • Genetic information can benefit close relatives and allow for risk stratification
  • Relatives at high risk can undergo enhanced surveillance, while those without the family variant may be able to avoid unnecessary procedures
  • A positive result may enable cancer prevention and early detection for the patient’s family members
  • Learn about Invitae’s program to test family members

Identify patients who can benefit from genetic testing

According to professional society guidelines, germline genetic testing should be considered for prostate cancer patients with at least one of the following criteria:*

  • Prostate cancer patients with at least one of the following:
    • Intraductal histology
    • Regional or metastatic disease
    • T3 or T4 disease
    • Grade group 4 or 5
    • PSA >20 ng/mL

OR

  • Prostate cancer patients with at least one of the following family history criteria:
    • Brother, father, or multiple family members diagnosed with prostate cancer at <60 years of age or who died of prostate cancer (except clinically localized Grade group 1)
    • Family member with a known pathogenic variant
    • Three or more cancers on the same side of the family: bile duct, breast, colorectal, endometrial, gastric, kidney, melanoma, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate (except clinically localized Grade group 1), small bowel, or urothelial cancer
    • Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry

Download a PDF version of this checklist for your clinic.

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Expert-curated, comprehensive hereditary prostate and multi-cancer panels

Invitae Prostate Cancer Panel

Invitae’s most comprehensive panel targeting hereditary prostate cancer

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Invitae Common Hereditary Cancers Panel

Maximize diagnostic yield for individuals with a personal or family history of mixed cancers affecting a range of organ systems

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Not sure which panel is right for your patient?

Consult with one of our board-certified genetic counselors, available Monday through Friday, 5 am to 5 pm Pacific, to identify patients who could benefit from testing and differentiate between tests.

Sponsored genetic testing and counseling for prostate cancer

The Detect Hereditary Prostate Cancer program provides no-charge genetic testing and counseling for individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer, stage II and above. 

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Ready to get started? Create an account today.

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Informed families

Enable cancer prevention and early detection for your patient’s family members.

A positive result in a prostate cancer gene has implications for future cancer risk in multiple clinical areas—not just prostate cancer. Lifetime cancer risks for prostate cancer genes:

For patients who undergo panel or gene testing at Invitae and are found to have a clinically actionable variant, their blood relatives can have up to a 50% risk of having the same variant.

  • Invitae offers family variant testing for all blood relatives of patients who undergo gene or panel testing and have a positive result.

  • Family variant testing involves full analysis of the gene in which the original family member’s variant was identified.

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Invitae advantage

Invitae testing is covered by most insurance plans and we will not hold a sample or report while managing insurance claims.

Our $250 patient-pay option and patient assistance program help make high-quality testing accessible.

Option to expand to a larger hereditary cancer panel if needed within 90 days of receiving results, at no additional charge.

Genetic counselors available on demand to help identify patients who could benefit from testing, discuss tough cases, and even counsel your patients directly.

Get started

1. Request free kits for collecting patient specimens

2. Order a test using Invitae’s HIPAA-compliant online portal or on paper

  • Call Clinical Consult at 800-436-3037 if you would like to review patient cases or differentiate between testing options.

  • Patients can also contact Client Services for billing and insurance-related questions.

3. Receive an email when your results are ready (10-21 calendar days, on average)

  • If you have any questions about the results or their clinical implications, our genetic counselors are available to discuss.

Take the first step by requesting a free specimen collection kit or starting an order today.

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Tools for your clinic

Invitae’s reference guides offer direction on when to consider genetic testing and provide management guidelines. We have also created patient resources for you to share with your patients when speaking to them about genetic testing.

CancerCHECK

Identify patients who meet typical criteria for insurance coverage

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Understanding prostate cancer testing

A one-page introduction to genetic testing for hereditary prostate cancer

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Risks and references poster

Gene by gene risks for cancer, categorized by organ system

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Family history questionnaire

Collect your patient’s full family history to inform management

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Use this video to start the conversation about genetic testing with your patients.

Have a question or comment? Let us know.

Our team is here to answer your questions about ordering, billing, policies, and logistics as you are becoming familiar with our services.

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*These criteria have been adapted from current professional society guidelines. This is not an exhaustive list. Insurance criteria differ across providers. Patients who fit these criteria are not guaranteed to be covered by insurance for genetic testing.

Reference:

1. Nicolosi P, Ledet E, Yang S et al. Prevalence of germline variants in prostate cancer and implications for current genetic testing guidelines. JAMA Oncol. Published online February 7, 2019.

Invitae is committed to delivering high-quality, affordable testing, with the goal of improving patients’ lives while also saving the healthcare system valuable dollars.

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