TY - JOUR
T1 - BRCA1/2 mutation testing in breast cancer patients
T2 - A prospective study of the long-term psychological impact of approach during adjuvant radiotherapy
AU - Schlich-Bakker, Kathryn J.
AU - Ausems, Margreet G.E.M.
AU - Schipper, Maria
AU - Ten Kroode, Herman F.J.
AU - Wárlám-Rodenhuis, Carla C.
AU - Van Den Bout, Jan
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgements Special thanks are in order to all the participating patients and radiation oncologists from the Department of Radiotherapy at the University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands. We also thank Jeanne van Echtelt for asking all the patients to participate in the study and further monitoring their participation and Jackie Senior and David Alexander for critically reading the manuscript. The Dutch Cancer Society supported this work, grant no. UU 2001–2386.
PY - 2008/6
Y1 - 2008/6
N2 - This study assessed psychological distress during the first year after diagnosis in breast cancer patients approached for genetic counseling at the start of adjuvant radiotherapy and identified those vulnerable to long-term high distress. Of the approached patients some chose to receive a DNA test result (n = 58), some were approached but did not fulfill criteria for referral (n = 118) and some declined counseling and/or testing (n = 44). The comparative group consisted of patients not eligible for genetic counseling (n = 182) and was therefore not approached. Patients actively approached for genetic counseling showed no more long-term distress than patients not eligible for such counseling. There were no differences between the subgroups of approached patients. Predictors for long-term high distress or an increase in distress over time were pre-existing high distress and a low quality of life, having children, and having no family members with breast cancer. It is concluded that breast cancer patients can be systematically screened and approached for genetic counseling during adjuvant radiotherapy without imposing extra psychological burden. Patients vulnerable to long-term high distress already displayed high distress shortly after diagnosis with no influence of their medical treatment on their level of distress at long-term.
AB - This study assessed psychological distress during the first year after diagnosis in breast cancer patients approached for genetic counseling at the start of adjuvant radiotherapy and identified those vulnerable to long-term high distress. Of the approached patients some chose to receive a DNA test result (n = 58), some were approached but did not fulfill criteria for referral (n = 118) and some declined counseling and/or testing (n = 44). The comparative group consisted of patients not eligible for genetic counseling (n = 182) and was therefore not approached. Patients actively approached for genetic counseling showed no more long-term distress than patients not eligible for such counseling. There were no differences between the subgroups of approached patients. Predictors for long-term high distress or an increase in distress over time were pre-existing high distress and a low quality of life, having children, and having no family members with breast cancer. It is concluded that breast cancer patients can be systematically screened and approached for genetic counseling during adjuvant radiotherapy without imposing extra psychological burden. Patients vulnerable to long-term high distress already displayed high distress shortly after diagnosis with no influence of their medical treatment on their level of distress at long-term.
KW - BRCA1/2 mutation searching
KW - Breast cancer patients
KW - Genetic counseling
KW - Long-term psychological impact
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/43749086056
U2 - 10.1007/s10549-007-9680-y
DO - 10.1007/s10549-007-9680-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 17674198
AN - SCOPUS:43749086056
SN - 0167-6806
VL - 109
SP - 507
EP - 514
JO - Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
JF - Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
IS - 3
ER -