Top

Published in:

01-10-2007 | Original Research

Distress and Family Functioning in Oncogenetic Counselling for Hereditary and Familial Breast and/or Ovarian Cancers

Authors: C. Condello, R. Gesuita, M. Pensabene, I. Spagnoletti, I. Capuano, C. Baldi, F. Carle, A. Contegiacomo

Published in: Journal of Genetic Counseling | Issue 5/2007

Abstract

We conducted a psychological assessment during oncogenetic counseling for hereditary breast/ovarian cancer. Anxiety and depression were assessed with the HAD scale, and family functioning and satisfaction with FACES III. HAD was administered at baseline (t ₁)_, at risk communication (t ₂), at genetic test result communication, or at first surveillance in not tested subjects (t ₃); FACES III was administered at baseline only. We analysed a total of 185 questionnaires administered to the 37 subjects studied. Although not pathological, distress was significantly higher at t ₂ and t ₃ (p = 0.027 and p = 0.039, respectively). Health and marital status were significantly associated with distress. In a disease-free condition, anxiety was higher (p = 0.027) at t _2, and for single status, depression increased from t ₁ to t ₂ (p = 0.026). Families were perceived to be well functioning, and subjects were satisfied with their families. The data collected in this analysis could help to improve the quality of oncogenetic counselling in clinical practice.

Andersen, B. L., & Tewfik, H. H. (1985). Psychological reactions to radiation therapy: Reconsideration of the adaptive aspects of anxiety. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 1024–1032.PubMedCrossRef

Andrews, L., Meiser, B., Apicella, C., & Tucker, K. (2004). Psychological impact of genetic testing for breast cancer susceptibility in women of Ashkenazi Jewish background: A prospective study. Genet Test, 8, 240–247.PubMedCrossRef

Antoniou, A., Pharoah, P. D., Narod, S., Risch, H. A., Eyfjord, J. E., Hopper, J. L., et al. (2003). Average risks of breast cancer associated with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations detected in case series unselected for family history: A combined analysis of 22 studies. American Journal of Human Genetics, 72, 1117–1130.PubMedCrossRef

Bleiker, E. M. A., Hahn, D. E. E., & Aaronson, N. K. (2003). Psychological issues in cancer genetics. Acta Oncologica, 42(4), 276–286.PubMedCrossRef

Bloom, J. R., Stewart, S. L., Johnston, M., Banks, P., & Fobair, P. (2001). Sources of support and the physical and mental well-being of young women with breast cancer. Social Science & Medicine, 53, 1513–1524.CrossRef

Bowles Biesecker, B., Ishibe, N., Hadley, D. W., Giambarresi, T. R., Kase, R. G., Lerman, C., et al. (2000). Psychosocial factors predicting BRCA1/2 testing decisions in members of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer families. American Journal of Human Genetics, 93, 257–263.

Brain, K., Norman, P., Gray, J., & Mansel, R. (1999). Anxiety and adherence to breast self-examination in women with a family history of breast cancer. Psychosomatic Medicine, 61, 181–187.PubMed

Burke, W., Daly, M., Garber, J., Botkin, J., Kahn, M. J., Lynch P. et al. (1997). Recommendations for follow-up care of individuals with an inherited predisposition to cancer. II. BRCA1 and BRCA2. Cancer Genetics Studies Consortium. JAMA, 277, 997–1003.PubMedCrossRef

Butow, P. N., Lobb, E. A., Meiser, B., Barratt, A., & Tucker, K. M. (2003). Psychological outcome and risk perception after genetic testing and counseling in breast cancer: A systematic review. Medical Journal of Australia, 178, 77–81.PubMed

Claes, E., Evers-Kiebooms, G., Denayer, L., Decruyenaere, M., Boogaerts, A., Philippe, K., et al. (2005). Predictive genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: psychological distress and illness representations 1 year following disclosure. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 14(5), 349–363.PubMedCrossRef

Cohen, S., & Wills, T. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98, 310–357.PubMedCrossRef

Contegiacomo, A., Pensabene, M., Capuano, I., Tauchmanova, L., Federico, M., Turchetti, D., et al. (2004). An oncologist-based model of cancer genetic counselling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Annals of Oncology, 15, 726–732.PubMedCrossRef

Contegiacomo, A., Pensabene, M., Capuano, I., Tauchmanova, L., Federico, M., Turchetti, D., et al. (2005). Comment on “Cancer genetic counseling” by P. Mandich et al. (Ann Oncol 2005; 16:171). Annals of Oncology, 16, 1208–1209.PubMedCrossRef

Costantini, M., Musso, M, Viterbori, P., Bonci, F., Del Mastro, L., Garrone, O., et al. (1999). Detecting psychological distress in cancer patients: Validity of the Italian version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Supportive Care in Cancer, 7, 121–127.PubMedCrossRef

Drossaert, C. C., Boer, H., & Seydel, E. R. (1996). Perceived risk, anxiety, mammogram uptake, and breast self-examination of women with a family history of breast cancer: The role of knowing to be at increased risk. Cancer Detection and Prevention, 20, 76–85.PubMed

DiCastro, M., Frydman, M., Friedman, I., Shiri-Sverdlov, R., Papa, M. Z., Goldman, B., et al. (2002). Genetic counseling in hereditary breast/ovarian cancer in Israel: Psychosocial impact and retention of genetic information. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 111, 147–151.PubMedCrossRef

DudokdeWit, A. C., Tibben, A., Duivenvoorden, H. J., Niermeijer, M. F., Passchier, J., Trijsburg, R. W., and the Rotterdam/Leiden Genetics Workgroup (1998). Distress in individuals facing predictive DNA testing for autosomal dominant late-onset disorders: Comparing questionnaire results with in-depth interviews. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 75, 62–74.PubMedCrossRef

DudokdeWit, A. C., Tibben, A., Frets, P. G., Meijers-Heijboer, E. J., Devilee, P., Klijn, J. G., et al. (1997). BRCA1 in the Family: A case description of psychological implications. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 71, 63–71.PubMedCrossRef

Evans, D. G. R., Blair, V., Greenhalgh, R., Hopwood, P. & Howell, A. (1994). The impact of genetic counselling on risk perception in women with a family history of breast cancer. British Journal of Cancer, 70, 934–938.PubMed

Foster, C., Evans, D. G., Eeles, R., Eccles, D., Ashley, S., Brooks, L., et al. (2004). Non-uptake of predictive genetic testing for BRCA1/2 among relatives of known carriers: Attributes, cancer worry, and barriers to testing in a multicenter clinical cohort. Genet Test, 8, 23–29.PubMedCrossRef

Friedman, L. C, Kalidas, M, Elledge, R., Chang, J., Romero, C., Husain, I., et al. (2006). Optimism, Social Support and Psychosocial Functioning Among Women With Breast Cancer. Psychooncology, 15, 595–603.PubMedCrossRef

Geirdal, A. O., Reichelt, J. G., Dahl, A. A., Heimdal, K., Maehle, L., Stormorken, A., et al. (2005). Psychological distress in women at risk of hereditary breast/ovarian or HNPCC cancers in the absence of demonstrated mutations. Familial Cancer, 4, 121–126.PubMedCrossRef

Hopwood, P., Howell, A., & Maguire, P. (1991). Screening for psychiatric morbidity in patients with advanced breast cancer: validation of two self-report questionnaires. British Journal of Cancer, 64, 353–356.PubMed

Kash, K. M., Holland, J. C., Halper, M. S., & Miller, D. G. (1992). Psychological distress and surveillance behaviors of women with a family history of breast cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 84, 24–30.PubMedCrossRef

Kash, K. M., Ortega-Verdejo, K., Dabney, M. K., Holland, J. C., Miller, D. G., & Osborne, M. P. (2000). Psychological aspects of cancer genetics: women at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Seminars in Surgical Oncology, 18, 333–338.PubMedCrossRef

Kim, Y., Duhamel, K. N., Valdimarsdottir, H. B., & Bovbjerg, D. H. (2005). Psychological distress among healthy women with family histories of breast cancer: Effects of recent life events. Psychooncology, 14, 555–563.PubMedCrossRef

Koehly, L. M., Peterson, S. K., Watts, B. G., Kempf, K. K. G., Vernon, S. W., & Gritz, E. R. (2003). A social network analysis of communication about hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer genetic testing and family functioning. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 12(4), 304–13.

Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. New York: Springer.

Lodder, L., Frets, P. G., Trijsburg, R. W., Meijers-Heijboer, E. J., Klijn, J. G., Duivenvoorden, H. J., et al. (2001). Psychological impact of receiving a BRCA1/BRCA2 test result. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 98, 15–24.PubMedCrossRef

Lutgendorf, S. K., Sood, A. K., Anderson, B., McGinn, S., Maiseri, H., Dao, M., et al. (2005). Social support, psychological distress, and natural killer cell activity in ovarian cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 23, 7105–7113.PubMedCrossRef

Marteau, T. M., & Croyle, R. T. (1998). The new genetics psychological responses to genetic testing. BMJ, 316(7132): 693–696.PubMed

McInerney-Leo, A., Hadley, D., Kase, R. G., Giambarresi, T. R., Struewing, J. P., & Bowle Biesecker, B. (2006). BRCA1/2 testing in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer families III: Risk perception and screening. American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part A, 140A, 2198–2206.CrossRef

Meiser, B. (2005). Psychological impact of genetic testing for cancer susceptibility: An update of the literature. Psychooncology, 14, 1060–1074.PubMedCrossRef

Minuchin, S. (1976). Famiglia e Terapia della Famiglia. Roma: Astrolabio.

Mouchawar, J., Byers, T., Cutter, G., Dignan, M., & Michael, S. (1999). A study of the relationship between family history of breast cancer and knowledge of breast cancer genetic testing prerequisites. Cancer Detection and Prevention, 23, 22–30.PubMedCrossRef

Olson, D. H. (1985). FACES III (Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scales). St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota.

Olson, D. H. (2000). Empirical approach to family Assessment. Circumplex model of marital and family system. Journal of Family Therapy, 22(2), 144–167.CrossRef

Olson D. H. & Gorall D. M. (2003) Circumplex model of marital and family systems. In: F. Walsh (Ed), Normal Family Processes, 3rd edn. New York: Guilford, pp. 514–547.

Payne, D. K., Hoffman, R. G., Theodoulou, M., Dosik, M., & Massie, M. J. (1999). Screening for anxiety and depression in women with breast cancer. Psychiatry and medical grear up for managed care. Psychosomatics, 40, 64–69.PubMed

Söllner, W., Maislinger, S., König, A., Devries, A., & Lukas, P. (2004). Providing psychosocial support for breast cancer patients based on screening for distress within a consultation-liaison service. Psychooncology, 13, 893–897.PubMedCrossRef

Stark, D., Kiely, M., Smith, A., Velikova, G., House, A., & Selby, P. (2002). Anxiety disorders in cancer patients: Their nature, association, and relation to quality of life. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 20(14), 3137–3148.PubMedCrossRef

Vasen, H. F., Haites, N. E., Evans, D. G., Steel, C. M., Moller, P., Hodgson, S., et al. (1998). Current policies for surveillance and management in women at risk of breast and ovarian cancer: A survey among 16 European family cancer clinics. European Familial Breast Cancer Collaborative Group. European Journal of Cancer, 34, 1922–1926.PubMedCrossRef

Watson, M., Foster, C., Eeles, R., Eccles, D., Ashley, S., Davidson, R., et al. (2004). Psychosocial impact of breast/ovarian (BRCA1/2) cancer-predictive genetic testing in a UK multi-centre cohort. British Journal of Cancer, 91, 1787–1794.PubMedCrossRef

WHOQOL Group. (1994). The development of life assessment instrument (the WHOQOL). In: J. Orley, & W. Kuyken (Eds), Quality of life assessment: International perspective. Heidelberg: Springer.

Wong-Kim, E. C., & Bloom, J. R. (2005). Depression experienced by young women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Psychooncology, 14, 564–573.PubMedCrossRef

Zigmond, A. S.,& Snaith, R. P. (1983). Hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 67, 361–370.PubMedCrossRef

Title: Distress and Family Functioning in Oncogenetic Counselling for Hereditary and Familial Breast and/or Ovarian Cancers
Authors: C. Condello
R. Gesuita
M. Pensabene
I. Spagnoletti
I. Capuano
C. Baldi
F. Carle
A. Contegiacomo
Publication date: 01-10-2007
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Genetic Counseling / Issue 5/2007
Print ISSN: 1059-7700
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3599
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-007-9102-7

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Distress and Family Functioning in Oncogenetic Counselling for Hereditary and Familial Breast and/or Ovarian Cancers

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 5/2007

Providing a Transcultural Genetic Counseling Service in the UK

Predictors of Cancer Worry in Unaffected Women from High Risk Breast Cancer Families: Risk Perception is not the Primary Issue

Growing Up and Living with Neurofibromatosis1 (NF1): A British Bangladeshi Case-study

Infertility Counseling: A Comprehensive Handbook for Clinicians (2nd ed)

Genetics Support to Primary Care Practitioners—A Demonstration Project

Career Research Interests and Training of Genetic Counseling Students