Telehealth Advances for Adult Cancer Survivors: More Genetic Testing, Earlier Screenings

Adults who had cancer as children face an increased chance of developing a different type of cancer—like breast, colorectal, sarcoma, or thyroid cancer—that isn't a return of their initial disease. Most of this risk comes from earlier cancer treatments. Still, as many as 13% of survivors may have a genetic tendency that increases their likelihood of getting another cancer.

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A new medical study has discovered that genetic services throughremote centralized telehealthand working together with primary care providers enhanced the rate of genetic counseling and testing within this group. Findings have been documented inThe Lancet Regional Health–Americas.

"Identifying survivors with cancer-predisposing genetic variants"enables tailored survivorship care through early screenings and preventive strategies," stated lead author Tara Henderson, MD, MPH, a specialist in childhood cancer survivorship and Chair of Pediatrics at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, as well as a Professor of Pediatrics at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Our research represents the initial nationwide randomized study to demonstrate thatremote telehealth services, collaborating with primary care physicians, enhance access to genetic counseling and testing for adult survivors of childhood cancers. Genetic services also facilitate earlier identification of additional cancers, which helps lower illness and death rates.

The research involved 391 individuals with an average age of 44. Each participant was informed about the advantages of genetic testing. Dr. Henderson and his team discovered that after six months, 43% of those in the remote telehealth services group had accessed genetic services, whereas only 15% in the standard care group did.

Interestingly, 10% of participants in the telehealth group who finished genetic testing received results that could lead to action, highlighting the substantial effect of this approach on survivors and their families," noted Dr. Henderson. "Enhanced access to genetic services is essential for enhancing outcomes among childhood cancer survivors.

We demonstrate that incorporating remote genetic services into primary care is effective, although additional survivors need to undergo genetic testing. Increasing motivation for testing might involve personalized decision tools, greater education on its advantages, and financial assistance to address worries about the cost of testing.

More information: The Lancet Regional Health–Americas (2026)

Provided by Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

This narrative was first released onMedical Xpress.