Changing the Story of Inherited Cancer Risk: Inside UCSF’s Pediatric Hereditary Cancer Clinic

Learning that cancer runs in the family can be frightening and overwhelming. But at the UCSF Pediatric Hereditary Cancer Clinic, that same genetic information is seen as a powerful tool for early detection, proactive prevention, and giving at-risk children the best possible chance for a long and healthy future. 

Since its founding in 2017, the clinic has guided hundreds of families through risk assessment and actively follows more than 150 children in its ongoing surveillance program. With around 10% of all cancers caused by a hereditary cancer syndrome, the clinic provides the essential expertise and support that families need to turn uncertainty into a protective plan. 

Two Paths to a Proactive Future

Families often arrive at the clinic on one of two paths. In some cases, a child has already been diagnosed with cancer, and genetic testing reveals an underlying hereditary cause.

"With this knowledge, our providers can treat the existing cancer and screen for other cancers that are more likely to occur with their specific genetic marker,” says Jennifer Michlitsch, MD, a pediatric oncologist at the clinic.  

Other times, a child is healthy, but a parent or sibling has been found to carry a cancer-predisposing mutation. In both scenarios, the goal is to move from a reactive model with intensive treatments to a proactive, lifelong strategy of early detection and early action. 

A Roadmap for the Whole Family 

Receiving a difficult diagnosis can be a devastating moment. The clinic's primary role is to provide a clear, personalized roadmap that turns uncertainty into action. These plans can include a schedule of specialized screenings, opportunities to enroll in beneficial research studies, and crucial psychosocial support to help families navigate the emotional weight of a diagnosis.  

When a child is diagnosed, it often has a powerful ripple effect across the family. “A key part of our role is helping the entire family understand what a genetic result means,” says Nicola Cadenas, MS, a genetic counselor at the clinic. “Testing can help identify siblings, parents, and other relatives who may also be at risk. Just as importantly, it identifies family members who do not carry the genetic mutation, which can be incredibly reassuring.” 

This process empowers families to pass important information on to their loved ones, turning a difficult diagnosis into a tool for broader family health. 

“Our goal is to be a supportive home base for these families,” says Jessica Tenney, MD, the clinic's medical geneticist. “We help them turn complex genetic information into powerful tools for their child’s health, providing a clear plan to navigate this journey together.” 

A Hub for Collaboration 

The clinic’s strength comes from its multidisciplinary team, which includes pediatric oncologists, genetic counselors, a medical geneticist, and a nurse practitioner. This centralized model is a lifeline for families who would otherwise face a complex web of appointments with different specialists. 

“The power of this clinic is our ability to bring a global network of expertise to a single child,” says Arun Rangaswami, MD, a pediatric oncologist and expert on rare tumors. “We work closely with specialists across UCSF and collaborate with experts around the world, ensuring that every family benefits from the latest science, no matter how rare their condition is.” 

The Future is Early Detection 

Through this unique collaboration between the Divisions of Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Medical Genetics, and Cancer Genetics, UCSF is rewriting the future for children with inherited cancer risk. The Pediatric Hereditary Cancer Clinic provides families with proactive, lifelong plans that shift the narrative from treatment to prevention, changing the story of cancer one family at a time.