Prostate screening uptake in Australian BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers
Joanne M McKinley1, Prue C Weideman, Mark A Jenkins
1Division of Haematology and Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Locked Bag 1, A'Beckett St Victoria, 8006, Australia.
Hereditary Cancer in Clinical Practice
|September 4, 2009
Summary
Men with BRCA1/2 mutations have higher prostate cancer risk. Awareness of mutation status significantly increases prostate cancer screening uptake, including PSA tests and DRE, for these high-risk individuals.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genetics
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Men with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations face an elevated risk of developing prostate cancer.
- Limited data exists on prostate cancer screening uptake among these mutation carriers.
- The effectiveness of prostate cancer screening in this population remains uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate the uptake of prostate cancer screening in a multi-institutional cohort of male BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.
- To assess the factors influencing prostate cancer screening decisions in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving unaffected male BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers aged 40-69.
- Data collected via mailed, self-report follow-up questionnaires every three years.
- Analysis of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal examination (DRE) uptake.
Main Results:
- Only 35% of participants opted to receive their mutation results.
- Men aware of their mutation status were significantly more likely to receive a recommendation for prostate screening (43% vs. 6%).
- Awareness of mutation status correlated with higher rates of PSA testing (77% vs. 43%) and DRE (69% vs. 29%) in the preceding three years.
Conclusions:
- The majority of male BRCA1/2 mutation carriers in the study did not actively seek their mutation results.
- Awareness of a positive BRCA1/2 mutation status strongly correlates with increased prostate cancer screening practices.
- Further research is needed to optimize screening strategies for men with hereditary prostate cancer risk.
