Cancer drugs known as PARP inhibitors target an enzyme that repairs damaged DNA. Blocking this repair mechanism can keep cancer cells from repairing themselves and cause them to die. However, not all cancers respond well to PARP inhibitors. In particular, about half of cancers with mutations to the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes (mutations […]

The field of genetics is rapidly expanding and becoming a centerpiece of the modern healthcare experience. Hereditary cancer genes, like BRCA1 and BRCA2, are now household terms, thanks to considerable efforts to raise awareness. Unfortunately, most of the data available to help interpret testing for these and other genes comes almost exclusively from Caucasian individuals […]

My name is Dena Goldberg and I’m a genetic counselor at the University of California, San Francisco, who specializes in cancer genetics. I see patients and their relatives with a personal or family history of cancer, tumors, or polyps, and use their history to determine the most appropriate genetic test. I use genetic test results […]

Over the course of my BRCA Journal posts, I have highlighted emerging technologies and highly tailored therapeutics. These exciting innovations have the potential to change the way cancer is studied and treated. While they advance the trend of personalized medicine, they currently only benefit a small portion of cancer patients. Existing treatments have proven highly […]

In my final few posts, I will focus on the future of cancer treatment. Over the course of my series of posts, I discussed what scientists have learned about the genetic basis of disease, how these findings have led to the development of targeted therapies, and how the sequencing revolution has enabled the personalization of […]

Many of the topics I have discussed in my posts have mentioned using DNA sequencing to both distinguish cancers and curate treatments. While interpretations of data obtained from DNA sequencing are often highlighted in the news, the methods behind how this process works and is analyzed can be a mystery to non-scientists. Over the past […]

The V Foundation is successful thanks to the contributions of many: donors, corporate partners, our incredible Board and Scientific Advisory Committee and the amazing researchers to whom we award grants. With “In Their Own Words,” we sit down with key members of our team to learn more about their commitment to the V Foundation and […]