Understanding the Ashkenazi Jewish Hereditary Cancer Connection

   Dr. Kenneth Offit, MD, MPH, Chief, Clinical Genetic Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in NY, will be discussing the 'Ashkenazi Jewish Hereditary Cancer Connection,' on Thursday, October 25, 2018, at 7:30 p.m., at The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC, 207 Grove Avenue, Cedarhurst, N.Y. This event is Free and open to the public - we do ask that you register in advance by calling The Gural Jcc at  (516) 569-6733.

   Dr. Offit, one of the Principal Investigators of the 'BRCA Founder Outreach Study (BFOR), (the BRCA genetic test looks for mutations or abnormailities in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genese. These mutations can be passed from parent to child and increase a person's risk of certain cancers), which is designed to identify genetic changes that cause cancer, and to develop approaches to early detection, prevention and treatment. Dr. Offit said, "Even though this genetic test has been offered for 20 years, we would like to do the testing more effectively and in greater volume. It will  allow people wishing to participate in the study to go online, sign up and get testyed at any one of a number of places. There is no need to speak to a physician to order the test and there is no cost."

   The study offers BRCA genetic testing at no cost to participants for women and men of Ashkenazi (Eastern European), Jewish ancestry over the age of 25 - a group that is 10 times more likely than the general population to inherit certain kinds of BRCA mutations, including breast, ovarian and prostate cancers.

   To regsiter, or should you have any questions, please call Cathy Byrne, MS, RN or Rachayle Deutsch at (516) 569-6733.

   This program is Co-Sponsored by UJA-Federation of New York, Temple Israel of Lawrence and The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC.