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Women’s Interest in Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer Risk

The Influence of Sociodemographics and Knowledge¹

School of Nursing [J. L. B., P. A. R., L. G. B.] and Department of Health Care and Epidemiology [C. G. R., J. B.], University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2B5; British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia Y5Z 4E6 [M. M.]; and Faculty of Nursing, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba [T. H., K. C.], R3T 2N2 Canada

The objective of this study was to assess women’s interest in genetic testing for breast cancer risk. Randomly selected samples of 761 women without breast cancer from the general population of British Columbia, Canada, and 260 women with breast cancer from the provincial cancer registry participated in a telephone survey that assessed interest in genetic testing for breast cancer risk, knowledge of hereditary breast cancer and genetic testing, and sociodemographics. Women with breast cancer did not possess superior knowledge of breast cancer genetics compared with women from the general population. Of the women with breast cancer, 30.8% reported interest in testing or had been tested, compared with 28.5% of women without breast cancer. Controlling for differences in age, education, personal history of breast cancer, and knowledge of genetics, women with at least one relative with breast cancer were 2.3 times more likely to express interest in genetic testing for breast cancer risk than those with no family history. There were significant interactions between breast cancer status and education and between age and knowledge of breast cancer genetics. Women without breast cancer and with a positive family history, who were between 20 and 40 years of age, were most likely to be interested in testing. The women with breast cancer who were interested in testing tended to be 50 years of age, had a positive family history, and had more years of education. Women with a family history of breast cancer, well-educated women with breast cancer, and younger women, particularly those with knowledge of genetic testing, are important target audiences for community-based education on genetic testing for breast cancer risk.

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