The reactions of general practitioners, nurses and midwives in Flanders concerning breast cancer risks in a high-risk situation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the reactions of general practitioners (GPs), nurses and midwives concerning the cancer risks in a high-risk family.


METHODS
Questionnaires were sent to 356 GPs, 881 nurses and 119 midwives.


RESULTS
The response rate was 60% for GPs, 58% for midwives and 33% for nurses. The breast cancer risk of an unaffected patient from a high-risk family as well as the risk of her daughter were mostly (>80%) correctly evaluated as increased. The percentage answering 'increased risk' dropped to 40% for the daughters of the patient's brother. Half of the GPs and nurses/midwives explicitly mentioned that a predictive DNA test was available. Less than one third would recommend such a test for a young child. Reluctance was also observed regarding prophylactic mastectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
These results should be taken into account in genetic education initiatives for GPs, nurses and midwives.
Welkenhuysen
Myriam
M
Psychosocial Genetics Unit, Centre for Human Genetics, Leuven, Belgium.
Evers-Kiebooms
Gerry
G
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001530:Belgium; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003625:Data Collection; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology; D008880:Midwifery; D009726:Nurses; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010821:Physicians, Family; D018570:Risk Assessment