title: Family communication of BRCA1/2 results and family uptake of BRCA1/2 testing in a diverse population of BRCA1/2 carriers.
abstract: Previous studies examining communication of BRCA1/2 results with relatives and family uptake of BRCA1/2 testing have sampled from predominantly white, high SES cohorts ascertained solely from tertiary care centers. No studies have focused on family communication and testing among relatives of diverse BRCA1/2 carriers. We conducted structured interviews with 73 BRCA1/2 carriers identified at a public hospital and a tertiary cancer center. We asked participants if each first- and second-degree relative was aware of their BRCA1/2 results and whether or not each relative had tested. Generalized estimating equations identified rates and predictors of family communication and testing. Participants disclosed their test results to 73 % of 606 eligible relatives and 31 % of 514 eligible relatives tested. Communication and testing rates were similar for relatives of participants from the public hospital and the tertiary cancer center. Hospital site was not a significant predictor of either result disclosure or relative uptake of testing. African American and Asian/Pacific Islander participants were significantly less likely to disclose their results to their relatives; relatives of African American participants were significantly less likely to test. Addressing these disparities will require further research into the best ways to facilitate family communication and counsel at-risk relatives of racially and socioeconomically diverse BRCA1/2 mutation carriers.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Risk Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fehniger
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Mary S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Beattie
authors.forename: Galen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation