title: Association between genomic recurrence risk and well-being among breast cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gene expression profiling (GEP) is increasingly used in the rapidly evolving field of personalized medicine. We sought to evaluate the association between GEP-assessed of breast cancer recurrence risk and patients' well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were Dutch women from 10 hospitals being treated for early stage breast cancer who were enrolled in the MINDACT trial (Microarray In Node-negative and 1 to 3 positive lymph node Disease may Avoid ChemoTherapy). As part of the trial, they received a disease recurrence risk estimate based on a 70-gene signature and on standard clinical criteria as scored via a modified version of Adjuvant! Online. \Women completed a questionnaire 6-8 weeks after surgery and after their decision regarding adjuvant chemotherapy. The questionnaire assessed perceived understanding, knowledge, risk perception, satisfaction, distress, cancer worry and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), 6-8 weeks after surgery and decision regarding adjuvant chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women (n = 347, response rate 62%) reported high satisfaction with and a good understanding of the GEP information they received. Women with low risk estimates from both the standard and genomic tests reported the lowest distress levels. Distress was higher predominately among patients who had received high genomic risk estimates, who did not receive genomic risk estimates, or who received conflicting estimates based on genomic and clinical criteria. Cancer worry was highest for patients with higher risk perceptions and lower satisfaction. Patients with concordant high-risk profiles and those for whom such profiles were not available reported lower quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients were generally satisfied with the information they received about recurrence risk based on genomic testing. Some types of genomic test results were associated with greater distress levels, but not with cancer worry or HRQoL.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ISRCTN18543567.
authors.forename: Valesca P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Retèl
authors.forename: Catharina G M
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Groothuis-Oudshoorn
authors.forename: Neil K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Aaronson
authors.forename: Noel T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.forename: Emiel J T
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Rutgers
authors.forename: Wim H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: van Harten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D023281:Genomics; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires