Low rates of acceptance of BRCA1 and BRCA2 test results among African American women at increased risk for hereditary breast-ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated rates of BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) test result acceptance among African American women and identified determinants of test result acceptance.


METHODS
Acceptance of BRCA1/2 test results was evaluated among 157 African American women at high and moderate risk for having a BRCA1/2 mutation who were offered genetic testing as part of a clinical genetic counseling research program.


RESULTS
Twenty-two percent of women received BRCA1/2 test results. Test result acceptance differed between women with > or =10% prior probability of having a BRCA1/2 mutation (34%) and those who had a 5% prior probability (8%). Among women with > or =10% prior probability, test result acceptors were most likely to be married (OR = 5.29, 95% CI = 1.82, 15.38, P = 0.002) and be less certain about their risk of developing cancer (OR = 3.18, 95% CI = 1.04, 9.80, P = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that acceptance of BRCA1/2 test results may be limited among African American women. Being married and having less certainty about one's cancer risk may motivate acceptance of BRCA1/2 test results among African American women. It may be important to emphasize the possibility that BRCA1/2 test results may not clarify cancer risks during pre-test counseling with African American women to ensure informed decision-making about testing.
Halbert
Chanita Hughes
CH
Department of Psychiatry, Abramson Cancer Center, and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Kessler
Lisa
L
Stopfer
Jill E
JE
Domchek
Susan
S
Wileyto
E Paul
EP
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000235:genetics*; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors