Making a complex decision
Eric Winer, M.D.
Wayland resident Nina Allen also decided to put her trust in her physicians and science after participating in a quality-of-life trial known as Project GRACE, which is being conducted by the Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer Risk and Prevention Clinic.
Allen came to the trial after her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She later tested positive for the BRCA2 gene, which can signal an increased risk of several types of cancer. Project GRACE studies women who want genetic testing and guides them through the process of using the results to make medical decisions. The trial compares two methods of counseling for participants and provides reduced-cost testing, intensive support, and long-term follow-up. "I wanted to have a genetic risk assessment, so when the opportunity arose to participate in a trial that could help me and others in the future, I thought 'why not?' " says Allen, a symphony musician.
When tests indicated she had the BRCA2 gene, Allen had her ovaries removed, even though there was no disease present. With the support of her husband and son, Allen says she feels great and has never regretted her decision. "When I tested positive for BRCA2, my mother was devastated for me," Allen recalls. "It was difficult, but I am so glad I had the opportunity to make this decision for my long-term health, with the incredible support of the researchers. I wish my mother had that opportunity."
"The depth of the research program at the Gillette Center extends beyond simply comparing or developing treatments. We are trying to understand, at a molecular level, why certain cancers respond and others do not."
— Eric Winer, M.D., medical director of the Gillette Center for Women's Cancers
Project GRACE is one of many studies being conducted in the area of women's cancers. According to Eric Winer, M.D., medical director of the Gillette Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber and director of the Breast Oncology Center, there are often more than 20 clinical trials open to women with breast cancer — some focusing on patients with early-stage disease, and others designed for women with more advanced cancer.
"The depth of the research program at the Gillette Center extends beyond simply comparing or developing treatments," says Winer. "We are trying to understand, at a molecular level, why certain cancers respond to treatment and others do not. By testing therapies before women have surgery, we can study tumors that have been exposed to chemotherapy and other agents."
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