Enrollment FAQs
Thank you for your interest in the Chromosome 18 Clinical Research Center. The goal of this page is to discuss the first step in participation in the Research Center: enrollment. Below is a list of the most common questions asked by families considering participating in the research at our institution.
Is enrollment difficult?
No. Enrollment is actually very easy.
Who can enroll at the Research Center?
Anyone with a chromosome 18 abnormality can enroll in the Research Center.
What does enrollment involve?
When enrolling in the Clinical Research Center, we will ask you to do several things.
Review a packet of study information. This packet of information will tell you all of the ins and outs about participation. We ask that all families considering enrollment read this packet of information thoroughly. This is very important, as we want to be sure that all families understand the goals of the Research Center and how we go about accomplishing those goals. The patient coordinator can answer any and all questions that a family might have regarding participation in the research study.
Sign a consent form. The consent form lists all the potential benefits and drawbacks to participation in the research study. We ask that all participating family members sign a form to indicate that they understand what they are being asked to do as a part of the study.
Send a copy of the chromosome report. Because this is a scientific study, it is important to document the specific chromosome change that is present. In order to confirm the diagnosis, we ask that all participants send a copy of the chromosome report that identified the chromosome abnormality.
Provide blood samples. After signing the consent forms and sending the chromosome report to the Research Center, families will receive a kit in the mail. Families can take this kit to their physician’s office to obtain a blood sample. We ask for a blood sample from the person with the chromosome change. We also ask for blood samples from the biological parents, if they are available.
Provide medical records. Participating families will receive some blank medical record release forms. We ask that they complete the form for each physician that the person with a chromosome change sees. We are particularly interested in birth records, MRI’s, echocardiograms, abdominal ultrasounds, and EEG’s, if they have been completed. However, records from any specialists that the person with the chromosome change sees are also useful. The Clinical Research Center cannot reimburse copying or shipping costs.
What are the benefits of enrolling in the Research Center?
There are several benefits of enrolling in the Research Center. First, you may be contributing to a better understanding of chromosome 18 changes as well as potential methods of treatment. You may also be “in the know” about the latest developments in chromosome 18 research. Study participants receive an annual newsletter that includes summaries of advances made in the last year; articles and information from our team of medical experts; and important study information. Lastly, by enrolling in the Research Center, your family may be eligible for additional studies in the future. This includes future studies evaluating treatment options as well as trips to San Antonio for a comprehensive series of clinical evaluations. Click here to learn more about the clinical evaluations
Why do you request blood samples?
An important step in our research is defining the precise location of the breakpoint of the chromosome change. We must use precise methods to understand exactly where along the chromosome the change occurred. Therefore, we ask all patients to provide a blood sample for additional analysis.
We also request blood samples from the biological parents, if they are available. In nearly all cases, parents do not have a chromosome change themselves. However, comparing parents’ and their child’s DNA helps us to identify the precise breakpoints. It is also useful for us to know whether the change happened on the chromosome inherited from the mother or father. It is important to remember that the chromosome change happened very early in embryonic development, and that parents cannot cause a chromosome change.
Will we receive results from the analyses completed using our blood samples?
At this time, we do not routinely provide written results of laboratory studies completed in our lab. This is because we are a research laboratory. As a research laboratory, our goals are very different from those of a clinical laboratory. The goal of clinical labs is to provide diagnostic tests. In contrast, the tests completed in our laboratory are not intended to provide information about a person’s diagnosis or prognosis. Rather, the goal of the tests performed in our laboratory is to learn more about a chromosome change that has already been diagnosed. In addition, research laboratories are not regulated by the agencies that oversee the protocols and quality control of clinical laboratories. Therefore, we do not issue official reports regarding our findings. We are working towards becoming a clinical laboratory, but this is a long process. Of course, we will keep research participants updated about our progress in this area!
Some parents believe that the information gained from laboratory studies would change the treatment or prognosis of their child. At this point in time, this is not the case. Ultimately, we hope that this research will enable us to make predictions about a person’s health and development based on the precise location of the breakpoints. Until that goal is reached, however, the information gained from the studies performed in our lab just gives us more molecular details of the chromosome change that has already been identified.
How will all of this information be used?
The blood sample will be used to study the chromosome change in detail. The medical records will provide an overview of the individual’s health and development. We will store this information in secure databases. The overall results generated by the study will be published in scientific journals. However, individual results will be kept confidential.
Sounds good! I want to be a part of this exciting research! Whom do I contact?
Our patient coordinator, Annice Hill, can help get the enrollment process underway. She can be reached at 210-567-5321 or via e-mail at hilla3@uthscsa.edu. You can also fill out our online form.