title: Awareness of gynecologic surveillance in women from hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer families.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine knowledge of gynecologic cancer risk and screening in women with HNPCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three women with HNPCC were counseled through a gastrointestinal cancer risk program, and later sent a questionnaire regarding their screening practices for gynecologic neoplasms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven (63%) of 43 responded. Fifteen (55%) of 27 had previously been diagnosed with cancer. Among 16 women with a uterus, 11 (69%) reported surveillance by ultrasound or endometrial sampling. Among 21 respondents with ovaries, 13 (62%) reported screening by ultrasound or CA125. Twenty-two (81%) of 27 had seen a gynecologist after receiving their HNPCC diagnosis, but only 12% recalled hearing about risks from their gynecologist, and 8% from their gynecologic oncologist. Genetic counselors were cited as the most common source (48%) of gynecologic cancer risk information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the effectiveness of surveillance remains in question, gynecologists can be a source of information regarding gynecologic cancer risk for women from HNPCC families.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1600 Divisadero St., 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: C Bethan
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Terdiman
authors.forename: Lee-may
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003123:Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / Q000235:genetics*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010349:Patient Compliance