Basser Center for BRCA

07/17/2025

Education is one of our most powerful tools for the prevention of BRCA-related cancers. That’s why we strive to be a pillar in our community as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce health disparities and to improve access to care. We collaborated with a local Philadelphia neighborhood to help empower and provide knowledge during a recent community health fair. Our goal is to connect our neighbors with health screenings, preventive care and education.

07/15/2025

What if I don’t want to pass BRCA on to my children?

Many BRCA carriers accept the 50% risk of passing on a BRCA mutation to their children. The decision to use reproductive technologies to avoid passing on genetic diseases is a very personal decision.
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis testing (PGT) is a reproductive technology that may be an option for individuals who wish to minimize the chance of passing a known gene mutation to a child. This procedure is used in combination with in vitro fertilization (IVF) to test embryos (fertilized eggs) for a specific gene mutation, such as a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.
*Discuss with your genetics provider if PGT is the right option for you. PGT does not guarantee transferred embryos will lead to a full-term, healthy pregnancy. PGT is costly and coverage can vary greatly depending on insurance plan.

07/10/2025

Genetics by day, ‘Garden Jams’ by night 🧪🎶

Our summer interns take on the summer concert series making some fun memories outside of the lab!

06/25/2025

Hi there! 👋 It’s nice to meet you. Maybe you’ve followed us for a while or maybe you’re new here – either way, welcome!

Here’s a little about what we do and why. What questions do you have for us about BRCA?

06/13/2025

At an extra special staff meeting this week, our team got the opportunity to hear Dr. Susan Domchek’s ASCO-ACS Cancer Prevention Award lecture ‘The Long Road to Breast Cancer Risk and Genetics-Informed Precision Prevention.”

The impact of Dr. Domchek’s work is felt by countless families and individuals navigating the challenges of inherited cancer mutations. In her landmark studies, Dr. Domchek demonstrated that risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy, a surgery to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes, is associated with improved survival in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. She has been critical in the development of PARP inhibitors in BRCA-associated cancers, where these targeted therapies have been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence and improve overall survival. Her work has also addressed the real-world complexity of the clinical application of germline genetics, particularly with multigene panel testing.

06/10/2025

Researchers from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found a way of modifying existing mRNA vaccines to improve and tune T cell responses. Benefits of this approach include the ability to reduce the dose and frequency of vaccines. This is a promising approach for reducing the risk of cancer, and scientists are continuing to seek ways to improve T-cell responses so the benefits of vaccines last longer.

“Cytokine mRNA is clearly a promising and clever approach to enhance immune stimulation against cancer and pre-cancer lesions,” says Susan M. Domchek, executive director of the Abramson Cancer Center’s Basser Cancer Interception Institute, which provided funding for the study. “We are hopeful this technology can move as fast as possible into the clinic for patients and individuals at risk of cancer.”

06/05/2025

For Maggie Gaines, volunteering her body to help advance cancer research is an act of love.

Maggie is a participant in a clinical trial at Penn Medicine’s Basser Center for BRCA that’s testing an experimental approach to stop cancer in its tracks at the earliest stages of development, before it’s even detectable by screening tests.

Maggie first found her way to Dr. Susan Domchek and the Basser Center in 2015 at age 42, shortly after learning she had a BRCA2 gene mutation. With Domchek’s counseling, she decided to have two risk-reducing surgeries: a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and a double mastectomy. Had she not had genetic testing or opted for surgery, Maggie said, “I'm convinced that I would have had breast cancer in my 40s as my mother, my grandmother, and my grandmother’s sister all did.”

Now 52 and nearing the age her mother was when she died, Maggie worries if her children also carry the inherited the gene mutation. “This feels like a real gift to me. I’m confident that by the time my children are old enough, they’ll have better options,” she said. “Maybe they’ll just get a vaccine and won’t even have to worry about cancer. That would be amazing.”

📰 : http://spr.ly/618746cF1

06/03/2025

Angela R. Bradbury, MD, on Genetic Testing Approach in Patients With Metastatic Cancers

At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Dr. Bradbury presented findings from the eREACH trial—a randomized study of an eHEALTH delivery alternative for cancer genetic testing for hereditary predisposition in patients with metastatic cancers.

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Angela R. Bradbury, MD, on Genetic Testing Approach in Patients With Metastatic Cancers 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting Advertisement Angela R. Bradbury, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, presents findings from the eREACH trial—a randomized study of an eHEALTH delivery alternative for cancer genetic...

06/03/2025

Susan M. Domchek, MD is presented with one of the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s highest honors: the 2025 ASCO-American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Award – an award bestowed to a distinguished expert who has made significant contributions to cancer prevention and research.

“We want to focus on reducing that [hereditary cancer] risk, whether it is through specific medications, using the immune system to reduce cancer risk or gaining a better understanding of the impact of genetic risk in the environment,” she said. “All of these things are going to play a role. But at the end of the day, what we want is to develop specific interception techniques for
individuals at risk based on the biology of the cancer risk.”

We’re thrilled and honored to have her and the Basser Center team at the forefront of cancer prevention research!

05/27/2025

Class of 2025 🎓

Congratulations to Vanessa Rivera, who received her Master in Genetic Counseling (MGC) from the Perelman School of Medicine! Vanessa was the recipient of the Basser Genetic Counseling scholarship, generously created by members of the Basser Center Advisory Board to support students pursuing a career in genetic counseling.

Wishing Vanessa and all the graduates of the MGC Program the best of luck as they begin their new careers in genetic counseling!