Journal Article DKFZ-2026-00364

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png
Priority European strategies for sustainable access to high-quality genetic counselling in cancer: A Delphi study.

 ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;

2026
Stockton Press Basingstoke

European journal of human genetics nn, nn () [10.1038/s41431-026-02015-y]
 GO

Abstract: Europe's Beating Cancer Plan is a substantial European Union (EU) investment into cancer prevention and treatment. Integration of genetic services towards personalised cancer prevention and care is a flagship of this plan. Genetic counselling is critical to this integration, facilitating informed patient decision making and improved clinical management. However, growing demands for genetic testing and concurrently increasing workforce shortages necessitate new strategies to equitably ensure sustainable access to counselling across the EU. This project aimed to inform future European activities by identifying priority European strategies for addressing common European genetic literacy, workforce, and reimbursement barriers to genetic counselling in cancer noted in prior work. A Delphi survey was conducted, with genetics, oncology, and patient stakeholders invited from all EU Member States. The response rate was 62% (124 total invitations). Over three phases, 77 participants - 28 geneticists; 14 oncologists; 18 genetic counsellors; 16 patient representatives; 1 otherwise qualified expert - rated 19 strategies according to their Importance, Urgency, and Feasibility and selected their top three priority strategies. Five strategies met pre-defined consensus thresholds and received a clear plurality of priority ratings: (1) EU-wide genetic counsellor recognition; (2) Including genetics expertise in oncology guideline creation; (3) Shared EU genetic counsellor registration/education with legal weight; (4) Mandatory counselling reimbursement when clinical guidelines are met; (5) Mandatory inclusion of genetics in oncology fellowship/continuing education. Results provide a roadmap of European actions which promise to sustainably improve access to genetic counselling in cancer care. Upcoming and ongoing EU projects promise to advance their implementation.

Classification:

Note: #DKTKZFB26# / #NCTZFB26# / epub

Contributing Institute(s):
  1. DKTK Koordinierungsstelle Dresden (DD01)
  2. Koordinierungsstelle NCT Dresden (DD04)
Research Program(s):
  1. 899 - ohne Topic (POF4-899) (POF4-899)

Appears in the scientific report 2026
Database coverage:
Medline ; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; DEAL Springer ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; PubMed Central ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection
Click to display QR Code for this record

The record appears in these collections:
Document types > Articles > Journal Article
Public records
Publications database

 Record created 2026-02-16, last modified 2026-02-17



Rate this document:

Rate this document:
1
2
3
 
(Not yet reviewed)