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Last Posted: Sep 21, 2023
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Factors associated with adherence to BRCA1/2 mutation testing after oncogenetic counseling in long-surviving patients with a previous diagnosis of breast or ovarian cancer.
Silvia Actis et al. J Community Genet 2023 9

From the abstract: "We analyzed socio-demographic and psychological parameters associated with the decision to undergo BRCA1/2 genetic testing or the reasons behind the withdrawal. Thirty-nine patients underwent BRCA1/2 genetic testing. Patients who accept the genetic test communicate more easily with family members than those who refuse. Factors associated with test refusal are having a long-term partner and having a negative perception of life. There is a trend, although not statistically significant, toward younger age at cancer diagnosis, more likely to participate in cancer screening programs (71.8% vs. 45.5%), and more likely to have daughters (63.3% vs. 37.5%) in the group that accepted the test. "

Your Family Connects: A Theory-Based Intervention to Encourage Communication About Possible Inherited Cancer Risk among Ovarian Cancer Survivors and Close Relatives
J Zhao et al, Public Health Genomics, July 25, 2023

Encouraging family communication about possible genetic risk has become among the most important avenues for achieving the full potential of genomic discovery for primary and secondary prevention. Yet, effective family-wide risk communication (i.e., conveying genetic risk status and its meaning for other family members) remains a critical gap in the field. We aim to describe the iterative process of developing a scalable population-based communication outreach intervention, Your Family Connects.

Persistent Underutilization of BRCA Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer in the United States: Implications for Health Disparities
L Shi et al, CDC Blog Post, July 25, 2023 Brand

Two recent studies document ongoing underutilization and disparities in genetic testing for patients with breast and ovarian cancer. The two studies demonstrate the importance of population-level data to track progress in implementation, outcomes, and disparities in genomic medicine. The studies also show how diverse data sources, such as state-based cancer registries, laboratory, EHR, administrative claims, and survey data, each with its own strengths and limitations, can be used to help build the evidence base on genetic testing utilization and disparities.

Public attitudes challenge clinical practice on genetic risk disclosure in favour of healthcare-provided direct dissemination to relatives
A Rosen et al, EJHG, July 20, 2023

Germline genetic testing often has implications not only for the individual patient but also for their genetic relatives. This is especially true for high-penetrance pathogenic variants associated with conditions such as familial hypercholesterolemia and hereditary cancer risk syndromes like Lynch syndrome and the hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome. For these conditions, targeted prevention programs are available, and cascade screening is cost-effective. It is therefore highly relevant to find effective strategies to disclose information from the genetic investigation to healthy relatives at risk. Informing relatives at risk enables equitable access to pre-test genetic counselling and a possibility for them to make an informed decision about genetic testing as well as prevention.


Disclaimer: Articles listed in the Public Health Genomics and Precision Health Knowledge Base are selected by the CDC Office of Public Health Genomics to provide current awareness of the literature and news. Inclusion in the update does not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nor does it imply endorsement of the article's methods or findings. CDC and DHHS assume no responsibility for the factual accuracy of the items presented. The selection, omission, or content of items does not imply any endorsement or other position taken by CDC or DHHS. Opinion, findings and conclusions expressed by the original authors of items included in the update, or persons quoted therein, are strictly their own and are in no way meant to represent the opinion or views of CDC or DHHS. References to publications, news sources, and non-CDC Websites are provided solely for informational purposes and do not imply endorsement by CDC or DHHS.

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