No evidence of false reassurance among women with an inconclusive BRCA1/2 genetic test result.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about how women who receive an inconclusive result from BRCA1/2 testing interpret their result. Clinical observations suggest that some of them may be falsely reassured and, consequently, may not adhere to recommended surveillance. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether women with inconclusive BRCA1/2 test results are falsely reassured.


METHODS
Participants were adult women with a family history suggestive of a germ-line mutation in either the BRCA1 or the BRCA2 gene who underwent genetic testing in the context of the interdisciplinary research program INHERIT BRCAs. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires at genetic counseling and 1 month after result disclosure. Reassurance was assessed through indicators of cancer risk perception, cancer worry, relief following result disclosure, painfulness of the test result, and its effect on quality of life.


RESULTS
Five-hundred women (105 carriers, 140 noncarriers, and 255 inconclusive) were included in this analysis. Compared to noncarriers, women with inconclusive results had higher cancer risk perception, were more worried about cancer, were less relieved by their test result, and perceived their quality of life as being more adversely affected by it.


CONCLUSIONS
The differences observed between noncarriers and women who received an inconclusive result run counter to the hypothesis that the latter are falsely reassured following BRCA1/2 testing. For clinicians, our findings show the value of taking precautions to fully explain to women that inconclusive results do not rule out the possibility that they still may face a higher risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer.
Dorval
Michel
M
Unité de recherche en santé des populations, Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire de Québec, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, 1050 chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, Québec, Canada G1S 4L8. mdorval@uresp.ulaval.ca
Gauthier
Geneviève
G
Maunsell
Elizabeth
E
Dugas
Michel J
MJ
Rouleau
Isabelle
I
Chiquette
Jocelyne
J
Plante
Marie
M
Laframboise
Rachel
R
Gaudet
Michel
M
Bridge
Peter J
PJ
Simard
Jacques
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires