Patients' Views of Treatment-Focused Genetic Testing (TFGT): Some Lessons for the Mainstreaming of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Testing

Journal of Genetic Counseling
Sarah WrightN Hallowell

Abstract

This paper explores patients' views and experiences of undergoing treatment-focused BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing (TFGT), either offered following triaging to clinical genetics (breast cancer) or as part of a mainstreamed care pathway in oncology (ovarian cancer). Drawing on 26 in-depth interviews with patients with breast or ovarian cancer who had undergone TFGT, this retrospective study examines patients' views of genetic testing at this point in their care pathway, focusing on issues, such as initial response to the offer of testing, motivations for undergoing testing, and views on care pathways. Patients were amenable to the incorporation of TFGT at an early stage in their cancer care irrespective of (any) prior anticipation of having a genetic test or family history. While patients were glad to have been offered TFGT as part of their care, some questioned the logic of the test's timing in relation to their cancer treatment. Crucially, patients appeared unable to disentangle the treatment role of TFGT from its preventative function for self and other family members, suggesting that some may undergo TFGT to obtain information for others rather than for self.

References

Jun 1, 1996·Cancer·E B ClausN J Risch
Jan 22, 2000·BMJ : British Medical Journal·C PopeN Mays
May 4, 2002·Lancet·Bruce G HafftyMayra Alvarez-Franco
Dec 10, 2003·Archives of Surgery·Jeffrey N WeitzelCarey A Cullinane
Jan 22, 2004·Journal of the National Cancer Institute·Dejana BraithwaiteStephen Sutton
May 18, 2004·Social Science & Medicine·N HallowellM Watson
Apr 13, 2005·Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention : a Publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, Cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology·Marc D SchwartzClinton Finch
Sep 5, 2006·European Journal of Cancer : Official Journal for European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) [and] European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)·Kathryn J Schlich-BakkerHerman F J ten Kroode
Feb 9, 2007·Health Services Research·Elizabeth H BradleyKelly J Devers
Oct 29, 2008·Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology·David S P TanMartin E Gore
Dec 2, 2008·Journal of Psychosocial Oncology·Susan T VadaparampilCheryl A Miree
May 30, 2009·Journal of Genetic Counseling·Heather A DouglasRobin E Grubs
Apr 22, 2010·Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology·Peter C FongStan B Kaye
Nov 10, 2010·Nature Reviews. Clinical Oncology·Alison H TrainerRobyn L Ward
Mar 24, 2012·Supportive Care in Cancer : Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·E ZilliacusG Mitchell
Mar 29, 2012·The New England Journal of Medicine·Jonathan LedermannUrsula Matulonis
Jun 20, 2012·Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology·Kathryn AlsopGillian Mitchell
Aug 8, 2014·Clinical Medicine : Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London·Nazneen Rahman
Nov 16, 2014·Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research·Francisco J Candido-dos-ReisUNKNOWN Australian Ovarian Cancer Study Group
Feb 28, 2015·Genome Medicine·Ingrid SladeUNKNOWN MCG programme
Apr 24, 2015·Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics·Marijke R WeversNeil K Aaronson
Sep 10, 2015·European Journal of Human Genetics : EJHG·Hildegunn Høberg-VettiNicoline Hoogerbrugge
Oct 14, 2016·Journal of Medical Ethics·Rosalind McDougallMarilys Guillemin
Dec 14, 2016·Nature Reviews. Clinical Oncology·Angela GeorgeSusana Banerjee
Jun 6, 2017·The New England Journal of Medicine·Mark RobsonPierfranco Conte
Jun 21, 2017·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Karoline B KuchenbaeckerHåkan Olsson

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 6, 2019·European Journal of Human Genetics : EJHG·Antony P MartinKathryn Lynn Greenhalgh
May 29, 2020·British Journal of Nursing : BJN·Nicola ScottEmma Wilson
Jul 12, 2020·European Journal of Human Genetics : EJHG·Nicola FlaumD Gareth R Evans
Feb 21, 2019·Nature Reviews. Clinical Oncology·Subotheni ThavaneswaranDavid M Thomas
Dec 4, 2019·Indian Journal of Cancer·Amit VermaVeda Padma Priya Selvakumar
Aug 20, 2019·Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics : JERHRE·Emily Ross
Apr 8, 2021·Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics·Adrià López-FernándezJudith Balmaña
Jun 17, 2021·European Journal of Cancer Care·Chris Jacobs, Belinda Rahman
Jul 15, 2021·Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics·Jada G HamiltonSusan M Domchek

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Clinical Trials Mentioned

NCT02000622

Software Mentioned

NVivo
EastEnders
NVivo11

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Breast Cancer: BRCA1 & BRCA2

Mutations involving BRCA1, found on chromosome 17, and BRCA2, found on chromosome 13, increase the risk for specific cancers, such as breast cancer. Discover the last research on breast cancer BRCA1 and BRCA2 here.

Breast Cancer: Therapeutic Approaches

Several different therapeutic approaches are used to treat breast cancer. These include chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, and Immunotherapy. Discover the latest research on breast cancer therapeutic approaches here.