Anxiety and screening attitudes in breast cancer patients and their first-degree relatives: A comparative pilot study

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. Identifying women at risk of breast cancer and ensuring their participation in cancer screening programs have been shown to reduce mortality rates. Therefore, it is important to identify the determinants of attitudes toward breast cancer screening, among which anxiety may play a significant role. This study aimed to explore the screening attitudes and anxiety levels of women with breast cancer and those of their female first-degree relatives within a patient-relative dyadic framework.

Breast cancer patients and their female first-degree relatives between the ages of 18-65 were included in this cross-sectional study as a patient-relative dyad. The patients were administered a socio-demographic questionnaire, the breast cancer worry scale, and the attitude towards cancer screening scale.

A total of 37 dyads participated in the study. The median age of the entire cohort was 47. Screening participation was reported in 37.1% (13/35) of patients pre-diagnosis and in 29.1% (7/24) of eligible relatives. A negative correlation was found between patients' anxiety and their relatives' screening attitudes (r=-0.395, p=0.016 Spearman's correlation), whereas a positive correlation was found between patients' attitudes and their relatives' attitudes (r=0.501, p=0.002 Spearman's correlation).

Higher levels of anxiety in breast cancer patients were associated with less favorable screening attitudes among their relatives, whereas screening attitudes were positively correlated within patient-relative dyads. These findings suggest that anxiety and screening attitudes may cluster within patient-relative dyads. Further research is required to determine the clinical implications.