#UCSFRadChat: Using Twitter to Chat About Hereditary Cancer

In the past, the UC San Francisco Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging has teamed up with the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and its Center for BRCA Research for panel discussions offering valuable insights on diagnosing and treating hereditary cancers. Twitter is a great way to continue this conversation and reach a wide, engaged audience of clinicians, patients and the public. UCSF Radiology (@UCSFimaging) will be hosting a Twitter Chat on Friday, April 26, 2019 from 12 – 12:45 PM PDT. We will be asking a series of questions related to BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene mutations, imaging testing, new research and resources available for physicians and patients.

UCSF Radiology will be asking participants the following questions:

1. How do BRCA genes affect health?
2. Are certain populations or those with family history more likely to carry a BRCA mutation?
3. How does someone get tested to see if they have a BRCA mutation?
4. What other cancers are BRCA mutations relevant to?
5. What imaging testing is suggested for screening for breast cancer for someone with a BRCA mutation?
6. What do you see as the future for BRCA patients and new research?
7. What are the specialized resources available for BRCA patients?
8. What should BRCA parents tell their children about their risk?

We've also included an expert panel of participants to join in on our chat to answer these important questions, and encourage anyone to join in and participate. Our panelists include: 

Heather Greenwood, MD, an assistant professor of Clinical Radiology in the Breast Imaging section at UCSF Radiology. She obtained her medical degree from Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois in 2008, followed by a one-year internship at MacNeal Hospital, Berwyn, Illinois. Dr. Greenwood completed a four-year Diagnostic Radiology residency at New York University Hospital in 2013, followed by a Breast Imaging fellowship at UCSF in 2014. Her professional interests include breast MRI, radiogenomics, screening mammography, percutaneous breast biopsies and resident/medical student education. She will be tweeting from her Twitter handle: @drheatherilana.

Kelly Williams, NP, a nurse practitioner at the UCSF Center for BRCA Research - Hereditary Cancer Clinic. She received her Master of Science in nursing with a specialty focus in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Columbia University School of Nursing. Her interests in early detection and prevention and in helping patients to understand and navigate their diagnoses are well aligned with the goals of the Hereditary Cancer Clinic. Kelly will be tweeting from the UCSF Center for BRCA Research Twitter handle: @UCSF_BRCA.

Julie Mak, MS, CGC, a genetic counselor and supervisor at the UCSF Center for BRCA Research - Hereditary Cancer Clinic, where she has worked since 2002. She has experience in all areas of hereditary cancer, with a special focus on hereditary gynecologic cancers. Julie received her BS in biological science and German studies at Stanford University, where she also completed her master's degree in neuroscience, with a focus on genetics. She received her master's degree in genetic counseling at the University of Toronto. Julie will be tweeting from the Kintalk at UCSF Twitter handle: @KintalkUCSF.

Laura Holmes Haddad, a writer and speaker from Northern California. A graduate of Smith College, Laura was a book editor before her career shifted at age 37. Diagnosed with Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer, she completed three years of cancer treatment--including a clinical drug trial--and remains cancer-free. The author of "This is Cancer: Everything You Need to Know, from the Waiting Room to the Bedroom," Laura speaks and writes about the cancer patient experience. Laura will be tweeting from her Twitter handle: @HolmesHaddad.

To participate and tune into our Twitter chat, follow @UCSFImaging and our participants using the hashtag #UCSFRadChat.