Familial Aspects of Cancer Research and Practice Meeting & Conference

The Familial Aspects of Cancer Research and Practice Meeting & Conference is a significant gathering focused on enhancing understanding of breast and ovarian cancer risks associated with pathogenic missense variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2. This event aims to address the implications of these genetic factors by bringing together a diverse group of professionals, including geneticists, clinicians, community representatives, surgeons, genetic counsellors, psychosocial researchers, pathologists, and epidemiologists from across Australia and New Zealand. Their collective goal is to unravel the complexities surrounding familial predisposition to breast cancer through a collaborative national approach at both basic and clinical levels.

Hosted at the Mantra on Salt Beach in Kingscliff, the conference highlights the Kathleen Cuningham Foundation Consortium for Research into Familial Aspects of Breast Cancer (kConFab), which has been pivotal since its inception in 1997. kConFab began enrolling families with strong histories of breast and breast/ovarian cancer with the assistance of Family Cancer centres throughout Australia and New Zealand. The consortium has gathered extensive genetic, epidemiological, medical, and psychosocial data, which are meticulously stored in a de-identified central relational database. Additionally, biospecimens collected from family members facilitate the characterization of germ-line mutations in critical predisposing genes, including BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, PALB2, p53, and PTEN. To date, kConFab has accumulated data on over 1,900 multigenerational, multi-case kindreds. Rather than functioning as a traditional research organization, kConFab serves as a vital resource for researchers, providing access to data and biospecimens for ethically-approved, peer-reviewed research projects focused on familial aspects of breast cancer. Currently, kConFab supports more than 180 research projects globally, underscoring its role in advancing the field of cancer research.