BRCA & Beyond | A Hereditary Cancer Podcast

If you're a hereditary cancer previvor, in treatment, or a cancer survivor, this podcast is for you. BRCA & Beyond is a hereditary cancer podcast for previvors , survivors , and mutation carriers navigating a genetic mutation , including BRCA1 , BRCA2 , Lynch syndrome , PALB2 , CHEK2 , ATM , TP53 , CDH1 , PTEN , RAD51C , RAD51D , STK11 , and beyond. Whether you're weighing genetic testing, navigating a family history of cancer, considering preventive surgery, in active treatment, living in survivorship, or supporting a loved one through a hereditary cancer diagnosis, you'll find real conversations here. Hosted by Marisa Stachelski, a stage 1 colon cancer survivor and

BRCA & Beyond | A Hereditary Cancer Podcast is a health podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 54 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts BRCA & Beyond | A Hereditary Cancer Podcast, a health show with 54 episodes published.

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  Episode #44

  The Emotional Impact of Genetic Risk with Emily Epstein of Weill Cornell

  Oct 2, 20261h 5mS2

  What happens emotionally after you learn you have an increased risk for cancer? A genetic test can give us important information about our health and our options. But living with that information is something else entirely. In this episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa sits down with Emily Epstein, LMSW, Genetic Social Worker with the Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian, to talk about the psychosocial side of hereditary cancer risk and the gap that can exist between receiving genetic information and actually learning how to live with it. They talk about the anxiety that can come with knowing your cancer risk, the emotional weight of ongoing surveillance and prevention decisions, navigating family dynamics, communicating genetic risk with relatives, survivor and previvor guilt, and why the emotional impact of hereditary cancer doesn’t end after the genetic counseling appointment. Emily also shares how her work provides long-term psychosocial support for people living with hereditary cancer risk and why this kind of care deserves a place alongside medical surveillance, genetic counseling, and cancer prevention. Emily is among the first clinicians in the country working specifically as a Genetic Social Worker in this capacity. At Weill Cornell’s Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program, she has helped build psychosocial services from the ground up, including individual counseling, care coordination, family testing support, and peer support. Before becoming a social worker, Emily worked as an actor on Broadway, national tours, and in voiceover. About the Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program The Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine cares for individuals and families with hereditary cancer syndromes. The multidisciplinary program brings together genetic counseling, medical and surgical specialists, research, and social work to support cancer prevention and risk reduction over the long term. Innovations in Cancer Genetics Symposium The Innovations in Cancer Genetics Symposium takes place October 15–17, 2026, at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, presented with FORCE. Thursday, October 15 is Patient Wellness and Connection Day , a full day created for individuals living with hereditary cancer syndromes and their families. Emily organized the day alongside her colleague Laura Schneebaum. Emily will also present on Friday and moderate the patient panel closing the symposium on Saturday. Register at gpcpsymposium.com and use code THURSDAY50 for a discounted Thursday pass. Connect & Learn More Emily Epstein, LMSW: https://weillcornell.org/emily-epstein-lmsw Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program: www.wcinyp.org/gpcp GPCP on Instagram: @WCMCancergenetics Emily on Instagram: @emilyepsteinlmsw Research: Epstein ES, et al. Addressing the Psychosocial Gap in Hereditary Cancer Care. JCO Oncology Practice, 2026. https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/OP-26-00307 BRCA & Beyond is a hereditary cancer podcast exploring the medical, emotional, and psychosocial realities of living with inherited cancer risk. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or mental health care. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: @ BRCAandBeyond @ MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #45

  Previvor Day: The Parts of Hereditary Cancer Risk No One Sees.

  Sep 30, 202633 minS2

  What does it really mean to be a previvor and live with hereditary cancer risk when you don’t have cancer, but your life has still been changed by it? In this special Previvor Day episode of BRCA & Beyond , Marisa talks about the parts of living with an inherited genetic mutation and hereditary cancer risk that often happen quietly, far beyond genetic testing results, cancer screenings, doctor appointments, and risk percentages. Because being a previvor can mean making life-changing decisions about a healthy body. It can mean choosing between increased surveillance and risk-reducing surgery, navigating fertility and family planning, worrying about what you may have passed on to your children, carrying the cancer history of generations before you, and learning how to live with information you can never unknow. And then there is the part we don’t talk about nearly enough: the emotional weight of it all. In this episode, Marisa gets personal about her own experience as a BRCA2 previvor and colon cancer survivor , including preventive surgery, body image, family history, guilt, grief, fear, gratitude, and the strange gray area of being neither a cancer patient nor completely untouched by cancer. She also explores why so many previvors struggle silently. When people around you are actively fighting cancer, it can feel like you don’t have the right to say this is hard. When a preventive surgery was technically your “choice,” it can feel like you shouldn’t grieve what it cost you. But being grateful for the opportunity to know your hereditary cancer risk and struggling with what that knowledge asks of you can both be true. This episode is for anyone navigating BRCA1, BRCA2, Lynch syndrome, PALB2, CHEK2, ATM, TP53, CDH1, or another hereditary cancer gene mutation . It’s for the person considering preventive surgery, living through high-risk cancer screening, waiting on genetic testing results, thinking about their children and family history, or simply trying to figure out where they belong in the hereditary cancer community. On Previvor Day, this is a reminder that you do not have to earn the right to find this difficult, and you do not have to carry it quietly. Resources FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer information, gene-specific resources, support programs, research opportunities, and resources for previvors and survivors: https://www.facingourrisk.org/ National Hereditary Cancer Week & Previvor Day – FORCE Learn more about National Previvor Day and Hereditary Cancer Week: https://www.facingourrisk.org/national-hereditary-cancer-week FORCE Previvor Resources Information and resources specifically for people living with an inherited cancer risk who have not been diagnosed with cancer: https://www.facingourrisk.org/previvor-resources FORCE Hereditary Cancer Support Find peer navigation, previvor support groups, a helpline, community programs, and help finding hereditary cancer specialists: https://www.facingourrisk.org/support National Cancer Institute: Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Risk Information about hereditary cancer syndromes, genetic testing, genetic counseling, and what genetic test results can mean for individuals and families: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/genetic-testing-fact-sheet This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Decisions about genetic testing, cancer screening, surveillance, medications, or risk-reducing surgery should be made with qualified healthcare professionals who understand your personal and family history. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: @ BRCAandBeyond @ MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #43

  Ovarian Cancer Risk: The Bigger Picture | Series Finale (Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month Series part 9 of 9)

  Sep 28, 202626 minS2

  After a month of conversations about ovarian cancer risk, screening, fallopian tubes, fertility, preventive surgery, surgical menopause, HRT, and hereditary cancer, there’s one question left: What do we actually do with all of this information? In the finale of our Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month series, Marisa steps back to look at the bigger picture. Because learning your cancer risk is one thing. Understanding how that information applies to your body, your family history, your mutation, and your life is another. In this episode, we talk about how to find reliable medical information, understand the difference between established recommendations and emerging research, ask better questions during appointments, seek second opinions, and build a care team that can support more than just cancer prevention. We also talk about something that can easily get lost when discussing preventive surgery: what happens afterward. Who helps manage surgical menopause? When should conversations about HRT happen? What about sexual health, fertility, bone health, quality of life, and the emotional impact of making an irreversible medical decision? The goal of this series was never to tell you what decision to make. It was to help you understand the questions worth asking before you make it. Awareness gives us information. Advocacy helps us use it. RESOURCES FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer information, support, research updates, risk management information, and resources for people with inherited cancer risk. https://www.facingourrisk.org/ National Cancer Institute: BRCA1 and BRCA2 Information about BRCA1/2 cancer risks, genetic testing, ovarian cancer risk management, screening limitations, and risk-reducing surgery. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/brca-fact-sheet National Cancer Institute: Ovarian Cancer Prevention Evidence-based information about ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer risk and prevention. https://www.cancer.gov/types/ovarian/patient/ovarian-prevention-pdq American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Ovarian Cancer Patient information about ovarian cancer risk, high-risk individuals, risk-reducing surgery, and surgical menopause. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/ovarian-cancer ACOG: BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations Information about BRCA-related cancer risk, preventive surgery, removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes, and considerations surrounding surgical menopause. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/brca1-and-brca2-mutations The Menopause Society: Hormone Therapy Evidence-based patient education about hormone therapy, including different forms of estrogen and progestogen therapy, potential benefits and risks, and questions to discuss with a menopause-trained healthcare professional. https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hormone-therapy The Menopause Society: Patient Education Additional resources on menopause symptoms, sexual health, nonhormonal treatment options, hormone therapy, and preparing for menopause care. https://menopause.org/patient-education If you are navigating hereditary ovarian cancer risk or considering risk-reducing surgery, talk with a genetic counselor, gynecologic oncologist, and other qualified healthcare professionals about recommendations specific to your genetic mutation, personal history, family history, age, and individual circumstances. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: @ BRCAandBeyond @ MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #42

  Understanding Your Ovarian Cancer Risk with Moffitt Genetic Counselors

  Sep 25, 202646 minS2

  What does it actually mean when you're told you have an increased genetic risk for ovarian cancer? In this episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa is joined by Moffitt Cancer Center genetic counselors Stef Alastre and Tina Inman for a deeper look at hereditary ovarian cancer risk and what those risk numbers really mean for the individual person behind them. The conversation goes beyond BRCA1 and BRCA2 to explore other hereditary cancer genes associated with ovarian cancer risk, including Lynch syndrome, BRIP1, RAD51C and RAD51D. Stef and Tina explain why your specific gene matters, how risk can change with age, and why family history remains an important part of understanding genetic test results and making decisions about screening, prevention, and risk-reducing surgery. They also discuss how hereditary cancer can appear to move through families in unexpected ways, why a lack of ovarian or breast cancer in your family does not necessarily mean a mutation isn't important, what a variant of uncertain significance means, and why genetic counseling can help turn complicated percentages and test results into information that is actually useful for your care. The episode also introduces Moffitt Cancer Center's Project COURAGE, a community outreach initiative led by Tina that brings ovarian cancer education, hereditary cancer risk assessment, and genetic education directly into the community while helping address barriers to genetic counseling and testing. Whether you've already tested positive for a hereditary cancer mutation, have a strong family history of cancer, are considering genetic testing, or simply want to better understand ovarian cancer risk, this conversation offers a clearer look at how genetics, family history, and personalized care fit together. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Moffitt Cancer Center Project COURAGE Community Ovarian Cancer Understanding through Risk Assessment and Genetic Education. Project COURAGE provides community education about ovarian cancer risk, family history, and hereditary cancer while helping connect people with genetic counseling and testing resources. FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Expert-reviewed, gene-specific hereditary cancer information, research resources, and support. FORCE also offers a Peer Navigation Program that can connect people with trained volunteers who share similar hereditary cancer experiences. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical guidelines used by healthcare professionals for hereditary cancer risk assessment and management. Moffitt clinicians discuss using NCCN guidance alongside personal history, family history, and individualized clinical care. American Cancer Society Cancer education and information, including resources related to ovarian cancer, genetic risk, and prevention. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice. Genetic test results and hereditary cancer risk should be reviewed with a qualified healthcare professional or genetic counselor. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: @ BRCAandBeyond @ MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #41

  Removing My Ovaries Could Prevent Cancer. So Why Am I Hesitating? (Ovarian Cancer Awareness Series, Part 8 of 9)

  Sep 23, 202625 minS2

  Removing your ovaries can significantly reduce ovarian cancer risk for people with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. But knowing what is medically recommended and feeling ready to actually do it are two very different things. In this deeply personal episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa shares where she is right now at 40, facing the decision of when to remove her ovaries because of BRCA2. At 38, she chose to remove her fallopian tubes while keeping her ovaries through the WISP study, giving her more time before surgical menopause. She knew ovary removal would eventually become part of the conversation. She just didn't expect the decision to feel this difficult when the time came. Marisa talks openly about her fears surrounding surgical menopause, HRT, weight changes, mood and mental health, sexual health, and the potential long-term effects of early ovary removal. She also explores one of the hardest parts of previvorship: making a permanent decision about healthy parts of your body to prevent a cancer that may or may not ever happen. How do you balance ovarian cancer prevention with quality of life? What happens when there is no reliable screening test to give you the reassurance you want? And what do you do when you understand the medical recommendation but still don't feel ready? There is no neatly packaged answer at the end of this episode. This is an honest conversation from the middle of the decision, before hindsight makes everything feel clearer than it actually was. Trusted Resources: National Cancer Institute (NCI) BRCA1 and BRCA2 cancer risks and risk reducing surgery https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/brca-fact-sheet American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) BRCA mutations, ovarian cancer risk and risk reducing surgery https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/brca1-and-brca2-mutations The Menopause Society Menopause, hormone therapy and menopause care https://menopause.org/patient-education FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer education, research and support https://www.facingourrisk.org WISP: Women Choosing Surgical Prevention Research on salpingectomy with delayed oophorectomy and quality of life https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02760849 TUBA WISP II Ongoing research evaluating the cancer prevention safety of salpingectomy with delayed oophorectomy compared with standard risk reducing salpingo oophorectomy https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04294927 If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: @ BRCAandBeyond @ MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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