PROMPT was created by cancer researchers at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the University of Pennsylvania. The mission of PROMPT is simple—to create a way for participants to provide critical information to help promote scientific discoveries related to cancer susceptibility genes. By taking part in PROMPT, participants can also learn more about how genetic alterations in certain genes may affect their health and cancer risk, while helping researchers to better understand these risks.
Testing for mutations in certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, as well as genes associated with Lynch syndrome, is now standard clinical practice and can lead to significant changes in one’s medical management. There are, however, a number of other genes which are known to be associated with breast cancer or other cancers. A newer form of genetic testing, called multiplex genetic testing, tests for many different genes using a single DNA specimen. Although these multiplex genetic panels have been used more frequently since their launch in 2013, there are still fundamental unanswered questions about their best use, and the risks associated with many of the genes on these panels are not yet clear. PROMPT provides patients, physicians, and researchers with an opportunity to share the results of multiplex genetic testing panels, so that we can all better understand the implications of these genetic alterations.
Enrollment in PROMPT is simple and free. Go to promptstudy.org, create an account with our partner PatientCrossroads, and register for PROMPT. From there you will be asked to complete a brief questionnaire about you and your family members. This questionnaire should take you less than 15 minutes to complete, and you do not have to complete it all at once. If at any point you have trouble registering for PROMPT or completing the questionnaire, you can email our study team at [email protected], or you can call us at 215-662-2770.
The success of PROMPT completely depends upon participant enrollment. As more people participate, our ability to increase our knowledge goes up exponentially. If you think you are eligible for PROMPT please go to promptstudy.org to register. If you know of others who may be eligible for PROMPT, please share this website with them, or encourage them to contact us directly at [email protected]. You can also follow PROMPT on Facebook and Twitter for updates about the study and links to new research on cancer genetics, cancer risk assessment, and cancer survivorship. Through your participation in PROMPT, we can better understand how best to help those with genetic alterations in cancer susceptibility genes. More than 600 people have already enrolled in PROMPT and we look forward to welcoming you into the PROMPT community soon!
-PROMPT Research Team