Willingness to decrease mammogram frequency among women at low risk for hereditary breast cancer.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genetics
• Public Health

Background:

• Guidelines for breast cancer screening frequency are evolving, particularly for individuals with average risk.
• Understanding patient willingness to adapt to new screening recommendations based on genetic risk factors is crucial for effective public health strategies.
• Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) risk assessment influences screening decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess women's willingness to adjust mammogram frequency based on low HBOC risk.
• To investigate the association between cognitive and emotional factors and the inclination to decrease mammogram frequency.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to 124 women with low HBOC risk and average breast cancer risk.
• Participants' demographics, risk perception, genetic risk knowledge, and screening history were collected.
• Multivariate logistic regression analyzed factors associated with willingness to decrease mammogram frequency.

Main Results:

• 32% of women were willing to decrease mammogram frequency, 42% were unwilling, and 26% were unsure.
• Worry about breast cancer, greater genetic risk knowledge, and more frequent past mammograms were associated with unwillingness to decrease screening frequency.
• Factors influencing willingness to decrease screening included emotional (worry) and cognitive (risk knowledge) elements, alongside behavioral history (past screening).

Conclusions:

• Emerging genomics-informed medical guidelines may face patient resistance if they contradict established practices.
• Patient acceptance of updated screening recommendations is influenced by emotional responses and cognitive understanding of genetic risk.
• Further research into emotion and cognition in processing HBOC risk results is vital for precision public health communication.