Psychological impact of receiving negative BRCA1 mutation test results in Ashkenazim

Purpose: Most DNA test results for breast/ovarian cancer susceptibility are negative. Because negative test results might be interpreted incorrectly a nd may have serious psychological and behavioral implications, determining the psychological impact of such results is important. Methods: A community -based sample of 289 Ashkenazim was tested for 185delAG. The 199 mutation-n egatives provided data at baseline and follow-up. Increased risk participan ts included those who received negative test results but remained at increa sed risk because positive family and/or personal histories of breast or ova rian cancer made the results uninformative. Average risk meant those who te sted negative and had negative family and personal histories of breast or o varian cancer. Using a logistic regression analysis, both groups' psycholog ical distress levels were compared at baseline and at 1 and 6 months after notification of DNA test results. Results: A logistic regression analysis s howed significant but small differences in cancer-specific distress after 6 months between increased and average risk participants (P < 0.006). Increa sed risk participants reported more distress than average risk. General dis tress declined among all participants after 1 month. Although baseline and follow-up differences in cancer-specific distress obtained by the increased and average risk participants were statistically significant, none of the absolute levels observed reflected especially high degrees of stress. Concl usions: Receipt of negative DNA test results does not have a deleterious ps ychological impact, whether results are informative or uninformative.