INTRODUCTION
DNA-based screening and population health points to consider | |
1 | The ACMG secondary findings recommendations do not constitute a primary health screening recommendation or strategy. |
2 | DNA-based screening should not replace a standard-of-care evaluation for individuals with a clinical indication for diagnostic assessment. |
3 | Disease risks identified through screening should not include DNA variants of uncertain significance (VUS). |
4 | DNA-based screening should be linked to opportunities for evidence-based risk-reducing clinical care. |
5 | Risk-reducing clinical follow-up for DNA-based screening should be consistent with best practices outlined by professional societies with appropriate expertise. |
6 | Organizations involved in DNA-based screening are expected to participate in sharing of outcomes-related data. |
7 | DNA-based screening applications with proven beneficial clinical outcomes should be made available to entire populations to promote health-care equity and limit health disparities. |

Wilson and Jungner criteria | Criteria in DNA-based screening and population health context | |
---|---|---|
1 | The condition sought should be an important health problem. | Screening should focus on the identification of genomic risk(s) for important health problems. |
2 | There should be an accepted treatment for patients with recognized disease. | Options for evidence-based clinical actions should be communicated to patients in whom the genomic risk is identified. |
3 | Facilities for diagnosis and treatment should be available. | Clinical implementation strategies should be in place and available to anyone identified as having genomic risk. |
4 | There should be a recognizable latent or early symptomatic stage. | Screening should have the capability of identifying at-risk individuals during both presymptomatic and early symptomatic disease stages. |
5 | There should be a suitable test or examination. | The DNA-based strategy should constitute an improvement over existing strategies for risk identification and risk reduction. |
6 | The test should be acceptable to the population. | Proven screening applications should be available to all but individual participation should be optional. |
7 | The natural history of the condition, including development from latent to declared disease, should be adequately understood. | Anticipated penetrance and expressivity (i.e., natural history) should be understood based on data from comparable populations. |
8 | There should be an agreed policy on whom to treat as patients. | Consensus should exist on clinical classification and management for those patients who screen positive for genomic risk but in whom the evidence of the associated health problems is absent (i.e., nonpenetrant risk). |
9 | The cost of case-finding (including diagnosis and treatment of patients diagnosed) should be economically balanced in relation to possible expenditure on medical care as a whole. | Appropriate health economic analyses should be in place to understand programmatic costs and benefits. |
10 | Case-finding should be a continuing process and not a “once and for all” project. | There should exist plans for both:- Periodic reanalysis of DNA variants using updated information.- Periodic clinical re-evaluation of individuals with nonpenetrant risk. |
Gene(s) | Condition | ClinGen actionability score 32. | Major disease risk | Follow-up (secondary) test or procedure (per guidelines) | Goal of follow-up test or procedure | Estimated penetrance in screened populations | Estimated penetrance in cohorts ascertained based on personal and familial disease |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRCA1 | Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) | 8–10 | Breast cancer | Breast imaging and prophylactic surgery | Identify existing disease at early stage | Not established | F: 46–87% 33. M: 1.2%33. |
Ovarian cancer | Prophylactic surgery | Reduce cancer risk | Not established | F: 39–63% 33. | |||
ND | Prostate cancer | Routine screening | Identify existing disease at early stage | Not established | M: 8.6% (by 65 years old) 33. | ||
BRCA2 | Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) | 8–10 | Breast cancer | Breast imaging and prophylactic surgery | Identify existing disease at early stage | Not established | F: 38–84% 33. M: up to 8.9%33. |
Ovarian cancer | Prophylactic surgery | Reduce cancer risk | Not established | F: 16.5–27% 33. | |||
ND | Prostate cancer | Routine screening | Identify existing disease at early stage | Not established | M: 15% (by 65 years old) 33. M: 20% (lifetime)33. | ||
MLH1 MSH2 | Lynch syndrome (LS) | 10 | Colorectal cancer (CRC) | Colonoscopy | Identify precursor lesions and existing disease at early stage | Not established | F: 22–53% 34. M: 27–74%34. |
8–9 | Endometrial cancer | Surveillance and prophylactic surgery | Identify existing disease at early stage | Not established | F: 14–54% 34. | ||
MSH6 | Lynch syndrome (LS) | 10 | Colorectal cancer (CRC) | Colonoscopy | Identify precursor lesions and existing disease at early stage | Not established | F: 10% 34. M: 22%34. |
8–9 | Endometrial cancer | Surveillance and prophylactic surgery | Identify existing disease at early stage | Not established | F: 16–26% 34. | ||
PMS2 | Lynch syndrome (LS) | 10 | Colorectal cancer (CRC) | Colonoscopy | Identify precursor lesions and existing disease at early stage | Not established | F: 15% 34. M: 20%34. |
8–9 | Endometrial cancer | Surveillance and prophylactic surgery | Identify existing disease at early stage | Not established | F: 15% 34. | ||
EPCAM | Lynch syndrome (LS) | 10 | Colorectal cancer (CRC) | Colonoscopy | Identify precursor lesions and existing disease at early stage | Not established | Not established |
8–9 | Endometrial cancer | Surveillance and prophylactic surgery | Identify existing disease at early stage | Not established | Not established | ||
LDLR | Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) | 11 | Coronary artery disease (CAD) | Serum LDL cholesterol | Guide therapeutic interventions | Not established | Not established |
Stroke | Serum LDL cholesterol | Guide therapeutic interventions | Not established | Not established | |||
APOB | Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) | 11 | Coronary artery disease (CAD) | Serum LDL cholesterol | Guide therapeutic interventions | Not established | Not established |
Stroke | Serum LDL cholesterol | Guide therapeutic interventions | Not established | Not established | |||
PCSK9 | Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) | 11 | Coronary artery disease (CAD) | Serum LDL cholesterol | Guide therapeutic interventions | Not established | Not established |
Stroke | Serum LDL cholesterol | Guide therapeutic interventions | Not established | Not established |
Penetrance and DNA-based screening
Expressivity and DNA-based screening
Age of onset and DNA-based screening
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION OF THE INDIVIDUAL POINTS TO CONSIDER
The ACMG secondary findings recommendations do not constitute a primary health screening recommendation or strategy7.
DNA-based screening should not replace a standard-of-care evaluation for individuals with a clinical indication for diagnostic assessment
Disease risks identified through screening should not include DNA VUS
DNA-based screening should be linked to opportunities for evidence-based risk-reducing clinical care
Risk-reducing clinical follow-up for DNA-based screening should be consistent with best practices outlined by professional societies with appropriate expertise
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Genetic/familial high-risk assessment: breast, ovarian, and pancreatic. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/genetics_bop.pdf (2020).
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Genetic/familial high-risk assessment: colorectal. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/genetics_colon.pdf (2020).
Organizations involved in DNA-based screening should share the outcomes-related data
DNA-based screening applications with proven beneficial clinical outcomes should be made available to entire populations to promote health-care equity and limit health disparities
CONCLUSION
Author Contributions
Ethical declaration
Competing interests
Additional information
Disclaimer
Supplementary information
Supplemental Table S1
References
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