Abstract for presentation at 11th International Congress of Human Genetics

The Australian Familial Haematological Cancer Study

  • Dr Hamish Scott, Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, Victoria, Australia
  • Prof Richard D'Andrea, Child Health Research Institute, South Australia, Australia
  • Meryl Altree, Familial Cancer Unit, South Australia, Australia
  • Prof Tim Hughes, Institute of Medical & Veterinary Science, South Australia, Australia
  • Prof Ram Seshadri, Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia, Australia
  • Dr Peter Bardy, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, South Australia, Australia
  • Dr Graeme Suthers, Familial Cancer Unit, South Australia, Australia

    • A remarkably successful approach to the identification of genes implicated in solid tissue cancers has been to study families that show inherited cancer predisposition. However, large multiple generation families with predisposition to only leukaemia, lymphoma or other related blood disorders are uncommon.
    We are establishing a population-based registry of multi-case kindreds with haematological malignancies. Our goal is to establish a resource of pedigree, demographic, and medical data, along with samples of normal and malignant tissues, from affected patients and their unaffected relatives. Potential probands are ascertained at clinics, by a mailout to recent patients, and through publicity in the local press.
    In the last 12 months we have recruited eight kindreds with four or more close relatives (first- or second-degree relatives of each other) having a haematological malignancy. We estimate that this represents one such family per 80,000 population. On average, each family yields clinical data and samples from 8 people.
    To date, the development of this resource has been limited to South Australian families. We propose to develop a national program during 2006 with the goal of collecting at least 100 such families. Clinicians or scientists interested in either contributing to the resource or accessing samples for research can contact Dr Scott on hscott@wehi.edu.au.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd