TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors influencing men's interest in gene testing for prostate cancer susceptibility
AU - Culler, Duane D.
AU - Silberg, Judy
AU - Vanner-Nicely, Lauren
AU - Ware, Joy L.
AU - Jackson-Cook, Colleen
AU - Bodurtha, Joann
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - Interest in genetic testing for inherited cancer susceptibility is high in the general population. Women at risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations represent the best-studied population undergoing genetic testing for cancer susceptibility. However, it is unclear whether factors influencing interest in genetic testing in women are directly applicable to men. We designed a study to examine factors associated with men's interest in genetic testing to identify prostate cancer susceptibility. Our sample consisted of 267 men present in waiting rooms of a urology clinic in an urban area. We examined whether the concept of "monitoring" could be used to predict the interest of men in a genetic test for prostate cancer susceptibility. Our results indicated that "monitoring" trait was positively associated with interest in genetic testing in these men, but principally for patients rather than nonpatients. Moreover we found that monitoring was associated with overestimation of risk in those men with prostate cancer. Other factors found to influence interest in genetic testing included recommendation by a doctor, family history of prostate cancer, and cost. This study indicated that interest in genetic testing and estimation of risk is influenced by a complex interaction between both psychological factors (monitoring) and nonbehavioral factors (such as patient status, cost, and doctor recommendation).
AB - Interest in genetic testing for inherited cancer susceptibility is high in the general population. Women at risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations represent the best-studied population undergoing genetic testing for cancer susceptibility. However, it is unclear whether factors influencing interest in genetic testing in women are directly applicable to men. We designed a study to examine factors associated with men's interest in genetic testing to identify prostate cancer susceptibility. Our sample consisted of 267 men present in waiting rooms of a urology clinic in an urban area. We examined whether the concept of "monitoring" could be used to predict the interest of men in a genetic test for prostate cancer susceptibility. Our results indicated that "monitoring" trait was positively associated with interest in genetic testing in these men, but principally for patients rather than nonpatients. Moreover we found that monitoring was associated with overestimation of risk in those men with prostate cancer. Other factors found to influence interest in genetic testing included recommendation by a doctor, family history of prostate cancer, and cost. This study indicated that interest in genetic testing and estimation of risk is influenced by a complex interaction between both psychological factors (monitoring) and nonbehavioral factors (such as patient status, cost, and doctor recommendation).
KW - Genetic testing
KW - Men
KW - Monitoring
KW - Prostate cancer genes
KW - Psychosocial issues
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=21344468012&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=21344468012&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1023/A:1016889614588
DO - 10.1023/A:1016889614588
M3 - Review article
C2 - 26142129
AN - SCOPUS:21344468012
VL - 11
SP - 383
EP - 398
JO - Journal of Genetic Counseling
JF - Journal of Genetic Counseling
SN - 1059-7700
IS - 5
ER -