Awareness and knowledge of familial breast and ovarian cancer among German general practice patients

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the awareness and knowledge of familial breast and ovarian cancer among German males and females. Participants were patients ≥18 years from six general practices in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Between April 26 and July 11, 2024, all patients in the waiting room of the practices were systematically approached by a study assistant and invited to an anonymous self-administered survey on familial cancer prevention and health behaviors. A total of 479 (67.0%) patients participated, and 437 with complete outcome data were analyzed (mean age = 54.0, SD = 16.6; males 34.6%). Chi-squared and t-tests were used to examine potential disparities in awareness and knowledge of familial breast and ovarian cancer by gender, age, community size, education level, and cancer history. A large proportion (75.5%) of the participants had heard of hereditary breast or ovarian cancer, and 58.4% had heard of genetic counseling. Awareness of the certified center for familial breast and ovarian cancer in Greifswald (32.5%) and genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer (39.8%) was lower. On average, 43% of the knowledge questions were correctly answered: largest knowledge gaps concerned the heritability of cancer through fathers and the frequency of gene mutations. Awareness and knowledge levels varied by gender, age, education, and cancer history. Low awareness of genetic counseling and testing may prevent at-risk families from seeking early interventions. Dissemination of knowledge to the general public should focus particularly on individuals with lower education, as they are currently the least informed.