2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Psychological distress and concerns about inherited risk of breast cancer in Japanese patients with breast cancer or breast complaints

Research Project

Project/Area Number	22830078
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Clinical psychology
Research Institution	Kitasato University
Principal Investigator	TANABE Noriko (ANDO Noriko) 北里大学, 薬学部, 助教 (30586376)
Project Period (FY)	2010 – 2011
Keywords	乳がん / 心理的ストレス / 遺伝に対する意識 / 遺伝カウンセリング / 遺伝性疾患
Research Abstract	We conducted open-ended interviews that surveyed patients' anxieties, worries, thoughts, and feelings. At an initial outpatient clinic visit, 39 of 233(16.7%) patients spontaneously expressed concerns about their inherited risk of cancer, while 9 of 133(6.9%) patients expressed when disclosed their diagnoses. Family history of breast cancer and concerns about inherited risk of cancer did not affect psychological distress in patients. However, a qualitative content analysis revealed that their concerns about inherited risk of cancer varied in different patients. Health care professionals should provide appropriate support and counseling to patients as needed, regardless of the patients' genetic risk for the disease.