Intention to learn results of genetic testing for hereditary colon cancer

Introduction. This report investigates the correlates of intention to find out genetic test results in colorectal cancer patients undergoing genetic c ounseling and testing for hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer. Specificall y, we investigated whether intention to learn genetic test results was asso ciated with sociodemographic factors, medical history, psychosocial factors , attitudes, beliefs, and decisional considerations related to genetic test ing. Materials and Methods. Among 342 colorectal cancer patients who went throug h an informed consent process and gave blood for genetic testing and who we re eligible for a psychosocial questionnaire study, 269 cases completed a b aseline interview. Patients were contacted in person during a routine clini c visit or by letter and follow-up telephone call and were interviewed eith er in person or by telephone. Results. In univariate analysis, intention to learn test results was positi vely associated with income, quality of life, a belief that being tested wi ll help family members prevent cancer, being worried about carrying an alte red gene, and a belief that one has the ability to cope with test results. It was negatively associated with a belief that genetic counseling is too m uch trouble relative to the benefits. Intention also was positively associa ted with scales measuring the pros of learning test results and the pros of informing relatives about test results; it was negatively associated with the cons of learning test results. In multivariable analysis, the belief th at testing would help family members prevent cancer, being worried about ca rrying an altered gene, and the pros of learning test results remained stat istically associated with intention when other variables were included in t he model. Conclusions. Our findings showed that the positive aspects of genetic testi ng were more strongly associated with intention than were the negative aspe cts. They also showed that persons who stared an intention to learn their g enetic test results were more likely than persons who did not to affirm bot h the benefits and the importance of such testing. These results are consis tent with the literature on psychosocial aspects of genetic testing for bre ast cancer.