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Silva E, Gomes P, Matos PM, Silva ER, Silva J, Brandão C, Castro F, Neves MC, Sales CMD. “I have always lived with the disease in the family”: family adaptation to hereditary cancer-risk. BMC PRIMARY CARE 2022; 23:93. [PMID: 35461227 PMCID: PMC9034526 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-022-01704-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Hereditary cancer syndromes have been conceptualized as a family level process. The present study explores the complexity and challenges of family adaptation to the hereditary cancer syndrome, in the context of genetic counseling and long-term cancer risk management and follow-up surveillance. Methods We performed semi-structured interviews with 13 participants with one of the following hereditary cancer syndromes: Lynch Syndrome, Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer Syndrome, Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome, or Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. The interview was developed through a participatory approach with the involvement of healthcare professionals and individuals with first-hand experience of living with the hereditary cancer syndromes. Results The family is the main source of information and emotional support to deal with hereditary cancer syndromes. Multiple individual adaptation processes and communal coping networks interact, influencing the emotional and health-related behavior of family members. This is affected and affects the family’s communication and its’ members reactions to disclosure, with consequent changes in relationships. Conclusions The systemic interdependent dynamics of family adaptation calls for family-centered care of genetic cancer syndromes.
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Marcum CS, Lea D, Eliezer D, Hadley DW, Koehly LM. The structure of emotional support networks in families affected by Lynch syndrome. NETWORK SCIENCE (CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS) 2020; 8:492-507. [PMID: 33777396 PMCID: PMC7995833 DOI: 10.1017/nws.2020.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Genetic risk is particularly salient for families and testing for genetic conditions is necessarily a family-level process. Thus, risk for genetic disease represents a collective stressor shared by family members. According to communal coping theory, families may adapt to such risk vis-a-vis interpersonal exchange of support resources. We propose that communal coping is operationalized through the pattern of supportive relationships observed between family members. In this study, we take a social network perspective to map communal coping mechanisms to their underlying social interactions and include those who declined testing or were not at risk for Lynch Syndrome. Specifically, we examine the exchange of emotional support resources in families at risk of Lynch Syndrome, a dominantly inherited cancer susceptibility syndrome. Our results show that emotional support resources depend on the testing-status of individual family members and are not limited to the bounds of the family. Network members from within and outside the family system are an important coping resource in this patient population. This work illustrates how social network approaches can be used to test structural hypotheses related to communal coping within a broader system and identifies structural features that characterize coping processes in families affected by Lynch Syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Steven Marcum
- Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dawn Lea
- Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dina Eliezer
- Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Donald W. Hadley
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Laura M. Koehly
- Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Albiani JJ, McShane KE, Holter S, Semotiuk K, Aronson M, Cohen Z, Hart TL. The impact of health anxiety on perceptions of personal and children's health in parents with Lynch syndrome. J Genet Couns 2019; 28:495-506. [PMID: 30638287 DOI: 10.1002/jgc4.1043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the differences in perceptions of one's health and one's child's health between parents with Lynch syndrome (LS) characterized with high versus low health anxiety. Twenty-one parents completed semistructured telephone interviews about their perceptions of their own health and the health of their children. Qualitative content analysis using a template coding approach examined the differences between parents with high and low health anxiety. Findings revealed that the most prevalent difference emerged on perceptions of personal health, showing individuals with high health anxiety reported more extreme worries, were more hypervigilant about physical symptoms, experienced the emotional and psychological consequences of LS as more negative and severe, and engaged in more dysfunctional coping strategies than those with low health anxiety. Unexpectedly, with regards to perceptions of their children, parents in the high and low health anxiety groups exhibited similar worries. However, high health anxiety parents reported using dysfunctional coping about their children's health more frequently than those with low health anxiety. The findings suggest that health anxiety is of clinical significance for individuals with LS. Accurately identifying and treating health anxiety among this population may be one avenue to reduce the distress experienced by LS carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna J Albiani
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kelly E McShane
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Spring Holter
- Zane Cohen Centre for Digestive Diseases, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kara Semotiuk
- Zane Cohen Centre for Digestive Diseases, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Melyssa Aronson
- Zane Cohen Centre for Digestive Diseases, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zane Cohen
- Zane Cohen Centre for Digestive Diseases, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tae L Hart
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Zane Cohen Centre for Digestive Diseases, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Ross E, Broer T, Kerr A, Cunningham-Burley S. Identity, community and care in online accounts of hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome. NEW GENETICS AND SOCIETY 2018; 37:117-136. [PMID: 29875617 PMCID: PMC5964445 DOI: 10.1080/14636778.2018.1469974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sociological literature has explored how shifts in the point at which individuals may be designated as diseased impact upon experiences of ill health. Research has shown that experiences of being genetically "at risk" are shaped by and shape familial relations, coping strategies, and new forms of biosociality. Less is known about how living with genetic risk is negotiated in the everyday and over time, and the wider forms of identity, communities and care this involves. This article explores these arrangements drawing on online bloggers' accounts of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). We show how accounts of genetic risk co-exist with more palpable experiences of FAP in everyday life, notably the consequences of prophylactic surgeries. We consider how the act of blogging represents but also constitutes everyday experiences of hereditary cancer syndrome as simultaneously ordinary and exceptional, and reflect on the implications of our analysis for understanding experiences of genetic cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Ross
- Centre for Population Health Sciences, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tineke Broer
- Centre for Population Health Sciences, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Anne Kerr
- School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Sarah Cunningham-Burley
- Centre for Population Health Sciences, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Abad PJB, Anonuevo CA, Daack-Hirsch S, Abad LR, Padilla CD, Laurino MY. Communication about Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: Perspective of Filipino Families. J Genet Couns 2016; 26:763-775. [DOI: 10.1007/s10897-016-0043-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Galiatsatos P, Rothenmund H, Aubin S, Foulkes WD. Psychosocial Impact of Lynch Syndrome on Affected Individuals and Families. Dig Dis Sci 2015; 60:2246-50. [PMID: 25786861 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-015-3626-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Lynch syndrome is the most common hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, conferring a heightened risk not only of colon cancer but also of various extracolonic tumors. Studies in hereditary breast cancer have shown a negative psychological impact for patients testing positive for BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, but there is a paucity of literature looking at psychosocial impact of LS testing for probands and families. METHODS A literature search of PubMed English-language articles was performed using the keywords "Lynch syndrome" combined with "psychological impact," "depression," and "anxiety." RESULTS Lynch syndrome mutation carriers, whether or not they have had cancer, suffer a transient increase in depression and anxiety scores post-disclosure, which seem to normalize by 6-12 months. Younger patients with higher colorectal cancer risk perception, higher education level, married, and employed are more likely to accept genetic testing. Major motivators for testing are predicting one's own risk of cancer and risk to offspring. Carrier status influences family planning, and there is growing interest for preimplantation genetic diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Psychosocial ramifications of LS mutation positivity need to be explored further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polymnia Galiatsatos
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Room E-110, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, 3755 Cote-Ste-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1E2, Canada,
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Graves KD, Sinicrope PS, Esplen MJ, Peterson SK, Patten CA, Lowery J, Sinicrope FA, Nigon SK, Borgen J, Gorin SS, Keogh LA, Lindor NM. Communication of genetic test results to family and health-care providers following disclosure of research results. Genet Med 2014; 16:294-301. [PMID: 24091800 PMCID: PMC4009372 DOI: 10.1038/gim.2013.137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Few studies have examined methods to promote communication following the return of DNA mismatch repair genetic test results obtained during research. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate a telephone protocol for returning research results of DNA mismatch repair gene testing to identify Lynch syndrome. METHODS We invited individuals with known DNA mismatch repair mutations in their family, who were enrolled in the Colon Cancer Family Registry at the Mayo Clinic, to participate in this study. Participants completed surveys before and 6 months after DNA mismatch repair test result disclosure. RESULTS Among 107 participants, 79% opted to learn their DNA mismatch repair test results; of these, 44 (41%) carried DNA mismatch repair mutations. After disclosure, 54% reported screening for any type of cancer. Among carriers, >74% reported communicating results to family; communication was predicted by baseline confidence in coping with the genetic test result (Z = 1.97; P = 0.04). Result disclosure to a physician was predicted by greater perceived cancer risk (Z = 2.08; P = 0.03) and greater intention to share results with family (Z = 3.07; P = 0.002). CONCLUSION Research versus clinically based gene disclosure presents challenges. A telephone disclosure process for the return of research-based results among Lynch syndrome families led to high rates of result uptake and participant communication of results to providers and family members.
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Abstract
In the care of patients with Lynch Syndrome (LS), a range of psychosocial issues are encountered, which significantly affect patient outcomes. A brief historical background of 'psycho-onco-genetics' (the domain where psychology, oncology and genetics meet) in relation to LS is presented, followed by an overview of important psychosocial issues identified in the past 20 years. The identification of mismatch repair genes in 1993-1994 made possible genetic counseling and testing for patients who had cancer and for potentially high-risk relatives without cancer. At that time, concerns were raised about the potentially negative psychosocial impact of predictive genetic testing. Since 1993, a large number of studies have been conducted to investigate the possible psychosocial benefits and limitations of such testing. This article presents an overview of: the uptake of and motivations for genetic testing, its psychosocial impact (e.g. psychological adaptation, impact on risk perception and self-concept, and concerns about, and experiences of, genetic discrimination), psychological screening instruments, adherence to and decision-making about preventive strategies, family communication, lifestyle changes, reproductive technology utilization, and professional psychosocial support needs of members of families with LS. Finally, challenges for the future are discussed, including population screening and genomic testing.
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Abstract
Colorectal cancer is a rare disease in the pediatric age group and, when present, suggests an underlying genetic predisposition. The most common hereditary colon cancer susceptibility condition, Lynch syndrome (LS), previously known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, is an autosomal dominant condition caused by a germline mutation in 1 of 4 DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes: MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, or PMS2. The mutation-prone phenotype of this disorder is associated with gastrointestinal, endometrial, and other cancers and is now being identified in both symptomatic adolescents with malignancy as well in asymptomatic mutation carriers who are at risk for a spectrum of gastrointestinal and other cancers later in life. We review the DNA MMR system, our present understanding of LS in the pediatric population, and discuss the newly identified biallelic form of the disease known as constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome. Both family history and tumor characteristics can help to identify patients who should undergo genetic testing for these cancer predisposition syndromes. Patients who carry either single allele (LS) or double allele (constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome) mutations in the MMR genes benefit from cancer surveillance programs that target both the digestive and extraintestinal cancer risk of these diseases. Because spontaneous mutation in any one of the MMR genes is extremely rare, genetic counseling and testing are suggested for all at-risk family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry C Huang
- *Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of California, San Diego †Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology and Nutrition, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada ‡Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
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Balancing Life with an Increased Risk of Cancer: Lived Experiences in Healthy Individuals with Lynch Syndrome. J Genet Couns 2014; 23:778-84. [DOI: 10.1007/s10897-013-9682-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 12/11/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Petersen HV, Ladelund S, Carlsson C, Nilbert M. Sense of coherence and self-concept in Lynch syndrome. Hered Cancer Clin Pract 2013; 11:7. [PMID: 23830140 PMCID: PMC3707857 DOI: 10.1186/1897-4287-11-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2012] [Accepted: 06/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Most individuals who learn about hereditary cancer manage well, but identification of subgroups who find this knowledge burdening would allow psychosocial intervention. The objective of the study was to assess sense of coherence (SOC) in individuals with Lynch syndrome with comparison to a general population and correlation to self-concept. Methods A total of 345 individuals with Lynch syndrome completed the 13-item SOC scale and the 20-item Lynch syndrome self-concept scale. SOC scores were compared to a general Danish population and were correlated to self-concept estimates in individuals with Lynch syndrome. Characteristics of subgroups with adverse scores were described. Results Individuals with Lynch syndrome reported SOC scores similar to the general population. SOC and self-concept correlated well with a correlation coefficient of −0.51. Subsets with convergent and divergent scores, which may reflect different effects from knowledge about hereditary cancer, were identified. Conclusion Individuals with Lynch syndrome report SOC scores similar to the general population. SOC and self-concept correlate well but allow identification of subset who report adverse outcome and may be relevant for targeted intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helle Vendel Petersen
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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Watkins KE, Way CY, Gregory DM, LeDrew HM, Ludlow VC, Esplen MJ, Dowden JJ, Cox JE, Fitzgerald GWN, Parfrey PS. Development and preliminary testing of the psychosocial adjustment to hereditary diseases scale. BMC Psychol 2013; 1:7. [PMID: 25566359 PMCID: PMC4270033 DOI: 10.1186/2050-7283-1-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2012] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The presence of Lynch syndrome (LS) can bring a lifetime of uncertainty to an entire family as members adjust to living with a high lifetime cancer risk. The research base on how individuals and families adjust to genetic-linked diseases following predictive genetic testing has increased our understanding of short-term impacts but gaps continue to exist in knowledge of important factors that facilitate or impede long-term adjustment. The failure of existing scales to detect psychosocial adjustment challenges in this population has led researchers to question the adequate sensitivity of these instruments. Furthermore, we have limited insight into the role of the family in promoting adjustment. Methods The purpose of this study was to develop and initially validate the Psychosocial Adjustment to Hereditary Diseases (PAHD) scale. This scale consists of two subscales, the Burden of Knowing (BK) and Family Connectedness (FC). Items for the two subscales were generated from a qualitative data base and tested in a sample of 243 participants from families with LS. Results The Multitrait/Multi-Item Analysis Program-Revised (MAP-R) was used to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PAHD. The findings support the convergent and discriminant validity of the subscales. Construct validity was confirmed by factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha supported a strong internal consistency for BK (0.83) and FC (0.84). Conclusion Preliminary testing suggests that the PAHD is a psychometrically sound scale capable of assessing psychosocial adjustment. We conclude that the PAHD may be a valuable monitoring tool to identify individuals and families who may require therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy E Watkins
- Centre for Nursing Studies, Eastern Regional Integrated Health Authority, St. John's, NL Canada ; Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL Canada
| | - Christine Y Way
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL Canada ; School of Nursing, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 300 Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, NL A1B 3V6 Canada
| | - Deborah M Gregory
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL Canada ; Eastern Regional Integrated Health Authority, St. John's, NL Canada
| | - Holly M LeDrew
- Western Regional School of Nursing, Western Regional Integrated Health Authority, Corner Brook, NL Canada
| | - Valerie C Ludlow
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL Canada
| | - Mary Jane Esplen
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Jeffrey J Dowden
- Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information, St. John's, NL Canada
| | - Janet E Cox
- Division of Surgery, Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital, St. Anthony, NL Canada
| | | | - Patrick S Parfrey
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL Canada
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