Disclosure of Family Cancer History in Black Families With Breast and Ovarian Cancer

Sharing of family cancer history (FCH) in Black families has been documented as lower than in other populations. There has been limited exploration as to the factors and circumstances that facilitate or hinder FCH communication in these communities.

To explore intersecting factors influencing FCH discussion in Black families with a breast or ovarian cancer diagnosis.

We conducted qualitative interviews with socioeconomically diverse breast and ovarian cancer patients or family members. Interviews were thematically analyzed for iterative themes on FCH.

A total of 107 participants completed an interview. Discussion of FCH was reported as being influenced by several factors, including relationship and family dynamics, personality of family members, involvement in caregiving and support, and perceived importance and responsibility of communicating FCH for cancer prevention. Participants also described how inequitable access to medical care influenced disclosure of a cancer diagnosis, and socioeconomic concerns can influence family communication and documentation of FCH in the medical record.

Our analysis indicates that disclosure of FCH is improving over time as access to healthcare has increased for Black families.

Strategies to collect FCH outside of clinic settings, such as digital tools or chatbots, should be considered for increased capture of cancer pedigrees in families where discussion is limited. Patient education on options for preventative care and communications tools may assist patients with family discussions, although patients with adverse social determinants of health are likely to experience additional barriers to genetic screening based on FCH alone.