The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Åke Borg

Åke Borg

Principal investigator

Åke Borg

Written pretest information and germline BRCA1/2 pathogenic variant testing in unselected breast cancer patients : predictors of testing uptake

Author

  • Martin P. Nilsson
  • Erik D. Nilsson
  • Barbro Silfverberg
  • Åke Borg
  • Niklas Loman

Summary, in English

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate predictors of testing uptake among unselected breast cancer patients who were offered germline BRCA1/2 testing in a prospective study. Methods: Pretest information was provided by a standardized invitation letter instead of in-person counseling. Data was abstracted from medical records. Using multivariate logistic regressions, predictors of testing uptake were analyzed. Results: The overall uptake of testing was 67% (539 of 805 patients). Low uptake rates were found for patients aged ≥80 years (33%), and patients born outside of Europe (37%). In adjusted analysis, age ≥80 years (odds ratio [OR] 0.10; P = 0.002), psychiatric disorders (OR 0.46; P = 0.006), occupation requiring at least 3 years of university or college education (OR 2.03; P = 0.003), and breast cancer or ovarian cancer in first-degree or second-degree relatives (OR 1.66; P = 0.02) were independently associated with uptake of BRCA1/2 testing. Somatic comorbidity in patients aged <70 years was associated with lower testing uptake. Conclusion: Testing uptake varies across different subgroups according to patient-related factors that are readily available in the medical records. Knowledge about these factors enables health care professionals to identify patients who are less likely to pursue genetic testing.

Department/s

  • Tumor microenvironment
  • Clinical Memory Research
  • Breastcancer-genetics
  • BioCARE: Biomarkers in Cancer Medicine improving Health Care, Education and Innovation

Publishing year

2019-01

Language

English

Pages

89-96

Publication/Series

Genetics in Medicine

Volume

21

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Topic

  • Cancer and Oncology

Status

Published

Research group

  • Clinical Memory Research

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1098-3600