A simple tool for identifying unaffected women at a moderately increased or potentially high risk of breast cancer based on their family history.
Family history of breast cancer is a more important aspect of clinical management following the discovery of the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. The authors developed a short questionnaire to categorize risk according to breast cancer history in close relatives. It was completed by 559 women attending for screening mammograms in Sydney, Australia. Twenty-three per cent reported a family history sufficient to be classified at a moderately increased or potentially high risk according to national guidelines (category II or III). Only 29 women (5%) made errors such that their risk category could not be determined. Validation of responses from 89 women, 44 from category II or III, found 100% agreement with classification after interview by a genetic counsellor. This questionnaire has the potential to accurately triage risk based on a woman's knowledge of her family history, and could be used in a variety of settings to identify women who may require further assessment, management and referral advice.
Fisher
T J
TJ
National Breast Cancer Centre, New South Wales, Australia. teresaf@nbcc.org.au
Kirk
J
J
Hopper
J L
JL
Godding
R
R
Burgemeister
F C
FC
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires