Quality of life and its relation to cancer-related stress in women of families with hereditary cancer without demonstrated mutation.
BACKGROUND
Although quality of life (QoL) and mental distress in women belonging to familial cancer families have been studied, little is known on these matters in women with absence of demonstrated mutations. The aim of this study was to examine QoL and cancer-related distress in such women.


METHODS
About 330 women at risk for familial cancers in the absence of demonstrated mutations were invited to the study. About 239 women (72%) (risk group) completed the Short Form 12 (SF-12) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES). The SF-12-findings were compared to the age-adjusted findings from the general female population (controls).


RESULTS
The risk group had significantly better physical QoL than controls, while no significant difference was found for mental QoL. Within the risk group the type of familial cancer did not make a significant difference in QoL, but to have a father with cancer or a deceased parent, was associated with increased risk of being a case with low QoL. Mental QoL showed moderate correlation with cancer-related distress.


CONCLUSIONS
Women belonging to familial cancer families in the absence of demonstrated mutations had at least as good QoL as controls in spite of living with a permanent cancer-related threat.
Section for Genetic Counselling, Department of Cancer Genetics, Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Trust, 0310, Montebello, Oslo, Norway. a.k.o.geirdal@medisin.uio.no
Amy Østertun
AØ
Geirdal
Lovise
L
Maehle
Ketil
K
Heimdal
Astrid
A
Stormorken
Pål
P
Møller
Alv A
AA
Dahl
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D009664:Norway; D011788:Quality of Life; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires