Table 3.
Physician Counseling About Test Result Implications for the SP, Sorted by Combined Frequency of Occurrence*
| Topic | Control (n = 61) |
Intervention (n = 60) |
Combined (n = 121) |
P† |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer risks | ||||
| Positive result means increased risk of breast cancer | 45 (73.8 %) | 43 (71.7 %) | 88 (72.3 %) | 0.84 |
| Positive result means increased risk of ovarian cancer | 38 (62.3 %) | 32 (53.3 %) | 70 (57.9 %) | 0.36 |
| Treatment implications | ||||
| Positive result introduces option of surgical treatment | 57 (93.4 %) | 55 (91.7 %) | 112 (92.6 %) | 0.74 |
| Positive result has fertility implications due to effects of prophylactic treatments (oophorectomy) | 13 (21.3 %) | 19 (31.7 %) | 32 (26.5 %) | 0.22 |
| Positive result introduces option of prophylaxis with medications | 19 (31.2 %) | 11 (18.3 %) | 30 (24.8 %) | 0.14 |
| Screening implications | ||||
| Positive result means more ongoing testing/screening | 49 (80.3 %) | 52 (86.7 %) | 101 (83.5 %) | 0.46 |
| Positive result underscores the importance of self-monitoring with breast exams | 6 (9.8 %) | 5 (8.3 %) | 11 (9.1 %) | 1.0 |
| Test limitations | ||||
| Even with negative result, SP (and/or sister) could still get breast cancer | 21 (34.4 %) | 17 (28.3 %) | 38 (31.4 %) | 0.56 |
| Tests only look for known mutations | 15 (24.6 %) | 17 (28.3 %) | 32 (26.5 %) | 0.68 |
| Genetic testing is not 100 % accurate | 8 (13.1 %) | 4 (6.7 %) | 12 (9.9 %) | 0.36 |
| Emotional issues | ||||
| Physician discusses emotional repercussions of testing for SP | 27 (44.3 %) | 30 (50.0 %) | 57 (47.1 %) | 0.59 |
| Physician discusses how a negative test result could be beneficial to the SP (e.g., reassurance) | 23 (37.7 %) | 19 (31.7 %) | 42 (34.7 %) | 0.57 |
| Physician asks if SP has support system (in relation to BRCA testing) | 2 (3.3 %) | 3 (5.0 %) | 5 (4.1 %) | 0.68 |
*Values reported are the numbers (percentages) of physicians who raised the topic during the visit.
† Probability values are based on Fisher’s exact test.