More women opt for preventive surgery when they fully assess risks.

2004 JUL 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Women who undergo genetic testing for BRCA1/2 mutations are more likely to select preventive oophorectomy when they fully assess their risk-related options, Fox Chase Cancer Center oncologists have found.

S.M. Miller and colleagues at Fox Chase reported at the 2004 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology their study of enhanced genetic counseling among women at possible risk of having inherited oncogenic BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene mutations. The title of their presentation was "Facilitating preventive behaviors among women undergoing BRCA1/2 testing."

"We evaluated an enhanced counseling intervention, designed to promote well-informed decision making for follow-up preventive options, among women at putative hereditary risk for breast/ovarian cancer," the researchers said.

A group of 180 women "(mean age 47; 56% college educated; 57% unaffected breast/ovarian cancer) received standard group education, an individual pedigree review, a standard pre-disclosure session, and a disclosure session to receive test results. In addition," Miller and colleagues explained, "immediately following pedigree review, women were randomized to receive either: 1) an Enhanced Counseling session involving structured role-play to allow the participant to anticipate possible test outcomes and plan for post-result consequences; or 2) a General Health Information ...