An investigation published online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society has discovered that many parents share their breast cancer test results with their children, even if they are very young. Furthermore, the researchers discovered that the majority of parents believe that their children are not distressed when they find out about the test results.
Although one of the leading reasons for getting tested for hereditary cancer genes is to gain a better insight into the potential risk their children may face in the future, the majority of parents find it hard to determine if, and when, they should inform their children of these test results.
Angela Bradbury, M.D., of the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, and her team, questioned 253 parents who underwent genetic testing for mutations in two prevalent breast cancer-related genes (BRAC1 and BRAC2) that can be inherited, in order to find out what factors contribute to whether parents are more or less likely to share their test results with their children.
All of the parents interviewed had children under 25 years of age at the time they underwent the genetic test. Parents were asked if they decided to inform their children of their test results, and if they did, how they felt their children handled the information.
29% of parents who underwent genetic testing had a BRCA gene mutation that confers an increased risk of developing breast cancer. The researchers discovered that most of the parents in the investigation told at least one of their children their test results. 66% (334) of the 505 children were informed of their parents’ test results.
The team discovered that the older the child was, the more likely parents were to share their results, although approximately half of children aged between 10 to 13 years old (and some even younger) were informed of their parents’ test results.
Furthermore, negative test results (meaning no mutation was found) were more likely to be shared than positive results, particularly if the child was female.
According to the majority of parents, their children did not appear distressed when learning about the results. However, children, especially those under the age of 10, were more likely to be distressed when the test revealed a mutation in one of the breast cancer genes.
Dr. Bradbury explained:
“We know that adolescence is a time when children establish many important health behaviors they continue in adulthood. An understanding about children’s reactions to these communications may assist parents in their decision about whether, or when, to share their genetic test results.
Such early conversations about cancer risk may provide parents with opportunities to promote protective health behaviors-such as eating a healthy diet and not smoking-that could help keep their children cancer-free.”
Written by Grace Rattue