Complete and sustained response of adult medulloblastoma to first-line sonic hedgehog inhibition with vismodegib.

Medulloblastoma is an aggressive primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the cerebellum that is rare in adults. Medulloblastomas fall into 4 prognostically significant molecular subgroups that are best defined by experimental gene expression profiles: the WNT pathway, sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway, and subgroups 3 and 4 (non-SHH/WNT). Medulloblastoma of adults belong primarily to the SHH category.

"What would you do if you were me?" Effects of counselor self-disclosure versus non-disclosure in a hypothetical genetic counseling session.

Two prior studies suggest genetic counselors self-disclose primarily because patients ask them to do so (Peters et al., 2004; Thomas et al., 2006).

Newborn blood spot screening and genetic services: a survey of Minnesota primary care physicians.

Purpose: To (1) obtain guidance on the preferred content and format of quick reference newborn blood spot screening information from the Minnesota Department of Health; (2) determine primary care physicians' perceptions of the benefits of genetic services; and (3) determine primary care physicians' satisfaction with genetic counseling services.

Methods: A written survey was mailed to family physicians and pediatricians in Minnesota (n = 300).

Results: Eighty physicians responded (28% response rate).

Genetic cancer risk assessment and counseling: recommendations of the national society of genetic counselors.

These cancer genetic counseling recommendations describe the medical, psychosocial, and ethical ramifications of identifying at-risk individuals through cancer risk assessment with or without genetic testing. They were developed by members of the Practice Issues Subcommittee of the National Society of Genetic Counselors Cancer Genetic Counseling Special Interest Group. The information contained in this document is derived from extensive review of the current literature on cancer genetic risk assessment and counseling as well as the personal expertise of genetic counselors specializing in cancer genetics.