Psychosocial Aspects ~ Family History
~ Genetics of Breast & Ovarian Cancer

Dealing more specifically with psychosocial concerns regarding: Any features of, associations with, or risks of a family history of breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer, or other cancers or conditions that have been associated with these.

List was last updated on Jan 23, 2021 @ 8:52 pm.


    • Influence of lived experience on risk perception among women who received a breast cancer polygenic risk score: 'Another piece of the pie'.
    • Willis AM, Smith SK, Meiser B, James PA, Ballinger ML, Thomas DM, Yanes T, Young MA.
    • J Genet Couns. 2021 Jan 19. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1384. Epub ahead of print.
    • BRCA Family Traditions.
    • Spittal K.
    • FORCE. Blog. 2020 Dec 10.
    • A PALB2 Gene has Taken a Terrible Toll on my Family.
    • Apke M.
    • FORCE. Blog. 2020 Nov 20.
    • Previvor at 25 - The Beginning has just Begun.
    • Wilson L.
    • FORCE. Blog. 2020 Nov 10.
    • Group Therapy for Patients With Medical Illness.
    • Leszcz M.
    • Am J Psychother. 2020 Oct 22:appipsychotherapy20200005. doi: 10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20200005. Epub ahead of print.
    • Health orientation and individual tendencies of a sample of Italian genetic testing consumers.
    • Oliveri S, Durosini I, Cutica I, Cincidda C, Spinella F, Baldi M, Gorini A, Pravettoni G.
    • Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2020 Jun 5:e1291. doi: 10.1002/mgg3.1291. Epub ahead of print.
    • Expectations and psychological issues before genetic counseling: analysis of distress determinant factors.
    • Ballatore Z, Bracci R, Maccaroni E, Svarca L, Bianchi F, Belvederesi L, Bruciati C, Pagliaretta S, Murrone A, Bini F, Pistelli M, Ricci G, Berardi R.
    • Hered Cancer Clin Pract. 2020 Apr 29;18:10. doi: 10.1186/s13053-020-00142-1. eCollection 2020.
    • Cancer-related worry and risk perception in Brazilian individuals seeking genetic counseling for hereditary breast cancer.
    • Palmero EI, Campacci N, Schüler-Faccini L, Giugliani R, Rocha JCCD, Vargas FR, Ashton-Prolla P.
    • Genet Mol Biol. 2020 Apr 22;43(2):e20190097. doi: 10.1590/1678-4685-GMB-2019-0097. eCollection 2020.
    • Comparison of mammography behaviors, health beliefs, and fear levels of women with and without familial breast cancer history.
    • Erdogan E, Tuzcu A.
    • Women Health. 2020 Apr 6:1-16. doi: 10.1080/03630242.2020.1746949. [Epub ahead of print]
    • Ethical Issues in Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Predisposition Syndromes: the Potentially Conflicting Interests of Patients and Their Relatives.
    • Kenny J, Burcher S, Kohut K, Eastman N.
    • Curr Genet Med Rep. 2020 Mar 17. doi: 10.1007/s40142-020-00186-8. [Epub ahead of print]
    • A Systematized review of experiences of individuals in Arnett's emerging adulthood stage who live with or are at-risk for genetic conditions.
    • Shelley AR, McCarthy Veach P, LeRoy B, Redlinger-Grosse K.
    • J Genet Couns. 2020 Mar 7. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1238. [Epub ahead of print]
    • Factors that impact risk management decisions among women with pathogenic variants in moderate penetrance genes associated with hereditary breast cancer.
    • Napoli M, Lewis J, Hopper J, Widmeyer K.
    • J Genet Couns. 2020 Feb 3. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1220. [Epub ahead of print]
    • Assessing relatives' readiness for hereditary cancer cascade genetic testing.
    • Bednar EM, Sun CC, McCurdy S, Vernon SW.
    • Genet Med. 2019 Dec 20. doi: 10.1038/s41436-019-0735-3. [Epub ahead of print]
    • Talking across generations: Family communication about BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic cancer risk.
    • Young AL, Butow PN, Rhodes P, Tucker KM, Williams R, Healey E, Wakefield CE.
    • J Genet Couns. 2019 Jun;28(3):516-532. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1055. Epub 2019 Jan 29.
    • Cancer genetic health communication in families tested for hereditary breast/ovarian cancer risk: a qualitative investigation of impact on children's genetic health literacy and psychosocial adjustment.
    • Tercyak KP, Bronheim SM, Kahn N, Robertson HA, Anthony BJ, Mays D, O'Neill SC, Peterson SK, Miesfeldt S, Peshkin BN, DeMarco TA.
    • Transl Behav Med. 2019 May 16;9(3):493-503. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibz012.
    • Scientific supremacy as an obstacle to establishing and sustaining interdisciplinary dialogue across knowledge paradigms in health medicine.
    • Gripsrud BH, Solbrække KN.
    • Med Health Care Philos. 2019 Apr 25. doi: 10.1007/s11019-019-09901-x. [Epub ahead of print]

    Related:

    Commentary:

    Our genes, our selves: hereditary breast cancer and biological citizenship in Norway.

    Our genes, our selves: hereditary breast cancer and biological citizenship in Norway.

    • Factors Influencing Not Perceiving Family Health History Assessments as Important: Opportunities to Improve Dissemination of Evidence-Based Population Screening for Cancer.
    • Allen CG, Escoffery C, Haardörfer R, McBride CM.
    • Public Health Genomics. 2019 Apr 9:1-10. doi: 10.1159/000499125. [Epub ahead of print]
    • Predictive Power of PEN-3 Model Constructs in Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors among Teachers: A Cross- Sectional Study in Central Iran.
    • Moghaddam ES, Shahnazi H, Hassanzadeh A.
    • Eur J Breast Health. 2019 Apr 1;15(2):105-110. doi: 10.5152/ejbh.2019.4417. eCollection 2019 Apr.
    • Risk perception and screening behavior of Filipino women at risk for breast cancer: implications for cancer genetic counseling.
    • Lagarde JBB, Laurino MY, San Juan MD, Cauyan JML, Tumulak MJR, Ventura ER.
    • J Community Genet. 2019 Apr;10(2):281-289. doi: 10.1007/s12687-018-0391-3. Epub 2018 Sep 27.
    • Legacies and Relationships: Diverse Social Networks and BRCA1/2 Risk Management Decisions and Actions.
    • Ersig AL, Werner-Lin A, Hoskins L, Young J, Loud JT, Peters J, Greene MH.
    • J Fam Nurs. 2019 Feb;25(1):28-53. doi: 10.1177/1074840718815844. Epub 2018 Dec 12.
    • Family storytelling about hereditary cancer: Framing shared understandings of risk.
    • Campbell-Salome G, Rauscher EA.
    • J Genet Couns. 2020 Jan 22. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1218. [Epub ahead of print]
    • Reminders of cancer risk and pain catastrophizing: relationships with cancer worry and perceived risk in women with a first-degree relative with breast cancer.
    • Whitney CA, Dorfman CS, Shelby RA, Keefe FJ, Gandhi V, Somers TJ.
    • Fam Cancer. 2019 Jan;18(1):9-18. doi: 10.1007/s10689-018-0082-6.
    • False-positive screening events and worry influence decisions about surgery among high-risk women.
    • Andersen MR, Karlan BY, Drescher CW, Paley P, Hawley S, Palomares M, Daly MB, Urban N.
    • Health Psychol. 2019 Jan;38(1):43-52. doi: 10.1037/hea0000647. Epub 2018 Nov 15.
    • Preventative Health and Risk Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls With and Without Family Histories of Breast Cancer.
    • Schwartz LA, Henry-Moss D, Egleston B, Patrick-Miller L, Markman E, Daly M, Tuchman L, Moore C, Rauch PK, Karpink K, Sands CB, Domchek SM, Bradbury AR.
    • J Adolesc Health. 2019 Jan;64(1):116-123. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.07.011. Epub 2018 Oct 6.
    • BRCA Testing Dichotomy in Saudi Arabia.
    • Abusanad A.
    • J Glob Oncol. 2019 Jan;(5):1-2. doi: 10.1200/JGO.18.00188.
    • A randomized controlled trial of a supportive expressive group intervention for women with a family history of breast cancer.
    • Esplen MJ, Leszcz M, Hunter J, Wong J, Leung YW, Toner B, Messner S, Glendon G, Stuckless N, Butler C.
    • Psychooncology. 2018 Nov;27(11):2645-2653. doi: 10.1002/pon.4822. Epub 2018 Jul 17.
    • A Systematic Review of How Young People Live with Inherited Disease: What Can We Learn for Li-Fraumeni Syndrome?
    • Forbes Shepherd R, Lewis A, Keogh LA, Werner-Lin A, Delatycki MB, Forrest LE.
    • J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 2018 Oct;7(5):525-545. doi: 10.1089/jayao.2018.0028. Epub 2018 Jul 13.
    • Cancer experience in families affects decision making.
    • [No author given]
    • FORCE. XRAYS. 2018 Sep 25.

    Related:

    Press: How a Loved One’s Experience With Cancer Guides Breast Cancer Decisions. (U.S. News & World Report)

    • Does stress increase risk of breast cancer? A 15-year prospective study.
    • Butow P, Price M, Coll J, Tucker K, Meiser B, Milne R, Wilson J, Heiniger L, Baylock B, Bullen T, Weideman P, Phillips KA; kConFab investigators; kConFab Clinical Follow-Up investigators; kConFab psychosocial investigators.
    • Psychooncology. 2018 Aug;27(8):1908-1914. doi: 10.1002/pon.4740. Epub 2018 May 4.
    • Psychological outcomes and surgical decisions after genetic testing in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer with and without a family history.
    • Meiser B, Quinn VF, Mitchell G, Tucker K, Watts KJ, Rahman B, Peate M, Saunders C, Geelhoed E, Gleeson M, Barlow-Stewart K, Field M, Harris M, Antill YC, Susman R, Bowen MT, Mills L, Kirk J; TFGT Collaborative Group.
    • Eur J Hum Genet. 2018 Jul;26(7):972-983. doi: 10.1038/s41431-017-0057-3. Epub 2018 Mar 30.
    • Health education models application by peer group for improving breast cancer screening among Iranian women with a family history of breast cancer: A randomized control trial.
    • Fathollahi-Dehkordi F, Farajzadegan Z.
    • Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2018 Jun 21;32:51. doi: 10.14196/mjiri.32.51. eCollection 2018.
    • Development of a Tool to Guide Parents Carrying a BRCA1/2 Mutation Share Genetic Results with Underage Children.
    • Santerre-Theil A, Bouchard K, St-Pierre D, Drolet AM, Chiquette J, Dorval M; Centre ROSE.
    • J Cancer Educ. 2018 Jun;33(3):569-575. doi: 10.1007/s13187-016-1127-x.
    • [To know or not to know, that is the question - screening for BRCA].
    • Johannsson OT.
    • Laeknabladid. 2018 Jun;104(6):281. doi: 10.17992/lbl.2018.06.187.
    • [Views of Icelandic women towards genetic counseling - and testing of BRCA2 mutations].
    • Jonsdottir T, Valdimarsdottir H, Tryggvadottir L, Lund SH, Thordardottir M, Magnusson MK, Valdimarsdottir U.
    • Laeknabladid. 2018 Jun;104(6):289-296. doi: 10.17992/lbl.2018.06.189.
    • Our genes, our selves: hereditary breast cancer and biological citizenship in Norway.
    • Møller P, Hovig E.
    • Med Health Care Philos. 2018 Jun;21(2):239-242. doi: 10.1007/s11019-017-9803-0.

    Related:

    Our genes, our selves: hereditary breast cancer and biological citizenship in Norway.

    Commentary, Reply:

    Scientific supremacy as an obstacle to establishing and sustaining interdisciplinary dialogue across knowledge paradigms in health medicine.

    • Communicating with Daughters About Familial Risk of Breast Cancer: Individual, Family, and Provider Influences on Women's Knowledge of Cancer Risk.
    • Peipins LA, Rodriguez JL, Hawkins NA, Soman A, White MC, Hodgson ME, DeRoo LA, Sandler DP.
    • J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2018 May;27(5):630-639. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2017.6528. Epub 2018 Jan 29.
    • Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors of First Degree Relatives of Women Receiving Breast Cancer Treatment and the Affecting Factors.
    • Kırca N, Tuzcu A, Gözüm S.
    • Eur J Breast Health. 2018 Jan 1;14(1):23-28. doi: 10.5152/ejbh.2017.3272. eCollection 2018 Jan.
    • Heightened perception of breast cancer risk in young women at risk of familial breast cancer.
    • Glassey R, O'Connor M, Ives A, Saunders C; kConFab Investigators, O'Sullivan S, Hardcastle SJ.
    • Fam Cancer. 2018 Jan;17(1):15-22. doi: 10.1007/s10689-017-0001-2.
    • Influences on anticipated time to ovarian cancer symptom presentation in women at increased risk compared to population risk of ovarian cancer.
    • Smits S, Boivin J, Menon U, Brain K.
    • BMC Cancer. 2017 Dec 4;17(1):814. doi: 10.1186/s12885-017-3835-y.
    • Experiencing the cancer of a loved one influences decision-making for breast cancer prevention.
    • Padamsee TJ, Muraveva A, Yee LD, Wills CE, Paskett ED.
    • J Health Psychol. 2017 Dec 1:1359105317746480. doi: 10.1177/1359105317746480. [Epub ahead of print]
    • All in the family? Communication of cancer survivors with their families.
    • Bowen DJ, Hay JL, Harris-Wai JN, Meischke H, Burke W.
    • Fam Cancer. 2017 Oct;16(4):597-603. doi: 10.1007/s10689-017-9987-8.
    • Moving In and Out of the What-Ifs: The Experiences of Unaffected Women Living in Families Where a Breast Cancer 1 or 2 Genetic Mutation Was Not Found.
    • Schroeder D, Duggleby W, Cameron BL.
    • Cancer Nurs. 2017 Sep/Oct;40(5):386-393. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000438.
    • Living Under a Cloud of Threat: The Experience of Iranian Female Caregivers with a first-degree relative with breast cancer.
    • Hashemi-Ghasemabadi M, Taleghani F, Kohan S, Yousefy A.
    • Psychooncology. 2017 May;26(5):625-631. doi: 10.1002/pon.4198. Epub 2016 Jul 14.
    • Our genes, our selves: hereditary breast cancer and biological citizenship in Norway.
    • Solbrække KN, Søiland H, Lode K, Gripsrud BH.
    • Med Health Care Philos. 2017 Mar;20(1):89-103. doi: 10.1007/s11019-016-9737-y.

    Related:

    Commentary:

    Our genes, our selves: hereditary breast cancer and biological citizenship in Norway.

    • Preparing young people for future decision-making about cancer risk in families affected or at risk from hereditary breast cancer: A qualitative interview study.
    • Rowland E, Plumridge G, Considine AM, Metcalfe A.
    • Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2016 Dec;25:9-15. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2016.08.006. Epub 2016 Sep 20.
    • When knowledge of a heritable gene mutation comes out of the blue: treatment-focused genetic testing in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.
    • Meiser B, Quinn VF, Gleeson M, Kirk J, Tucker KM, Rahman B, Saunders C, Watts KJ, Peate M, Geelhoed E, Barlow-Stewart K, Field M, Harris M, Antill YC, Mitchell G.
    • Eur J Hum Genet. 2016 Nov;24(11):1517-1523. doi: 10.1038/ejhg.2016.69. Epub 2016 Jun 22.
    • BRACAVENIR - impact of a psychoeducational intervention on expectations and coping in young women (aged 18-30 years) exposed to a high familial breast/ovarian cancer risk: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
    • Kwiatkowski F, Dessenne P, Laquet C, Daures JP, Gay-Bellile M, Bignon YJ.
    • Trials. 2016 Oct 21;17(1):509.
    • Psychosocial Adjustment and Perceived Risk Among Adolescent Girls From Families With BRCA1/2 or Breast Cancer History.
    • Bradbury AR, Patrick-Miller L, Schwartz LA, Egleston BL, Henry-Moss D, Domchek SM, Daly MB, Tuchman L, Moore C, Rauch PK, Shorter R, Karpink K, Sands CB.
    • J Clin Oncol. 2016 Oct 1;34(28):3409-16. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2015.66.3450. Epub 2016 Aug 22.
    • The double-edged sword of ovarian cancer information for women at increased risk who have previously taken part in screening.
    • Smits S, Boivin J, Menon U, Brain K.
    • Ecancermedicalscience. 2016 Jun 30;10:650. doi: 10.3332/ecancer.2016.650. eCollection 2016.
    • Coping Together, Side by Side: Enriching Mother–Daughter Communication Across the Breast Cancer Journey. Written by Carla L. Fisher. Hampton Press Inc., New York, NY, 2014. 242 pp. Price: $29.95 (US), ₤17.01 (UK). ISBN: 978-1612891415 (paperbound).
    • David Wellisch, Valerie Yarema.
    • Psycho-Oncology. 25(6):744. doi: 10.1002/pon.4122. 2016 Jun.
    • Book review
    • Iranian women's attitude toward prophylactic mastectomy for breast cancer.
    • Majidzadeh-A K, Farahmand L, Zare AA, Esmaeili R, Salehi M, Habibi M.
    • J Cancer Res Ther. 2016 Apr-Jun;12(2):915-9. doi: 10.4103/0973-1482.171363.
    • Cancer Risk Awareness and Concern among Women with a Family History of Breast or Ovarian Cancer.
    • Andersen MR, Thorpe J, Buist DS, Beatty JD, Watabayashi K, Hanson N, Resta R, Chubak J, Urban N.
    • Behav Med. 2016 Jan-Mar;42(1):18-28. doi: 10.1080/08964289.2014.947234. Epub 2014 Nov 3.
    • Internet-based physical activity intervention for women with a family history of breast cancer.
    • Hartman SJ, Dunsiger SI, Marinac CR, Marcus BH, Rosen RK, Gans KM.
    • Health Psychol. 2015 Dec;34 Suppl:1296-304. doi: 10.1037/hea0000307.
    • Podcast: Real Men Get Genetic Counseling.
    • [No author given]
    • My Gene Counsel. 2015 Jun 30.
    • Beliefs about weight and breast cancer: an interview study with high risk women following a 12 month weight loss intervention.
    • Wright CE, Harvie M, Howell A, Evans DG, Hulbert-Williams N, Donnelly LS.
    • Hered Cancer Clin Pract. 2015 Jan 9;13(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s13053-014-0023-9. eCollection 2015.
    • Perceived breast cancer risk and breast cancer worry among women with a family history of breast cancer: a new perspective on coping as a mediator.
    • Molina Y, Ceballos RM, Dolan ED, Albano D, McGregor BA.
    • Psychooncology. 2015 Jan;24(1):113-6. doi: 10.1002/pon.3587. Epub 2014 Jul 2.
    • The loss of a mother and dealing with genetic cancer risk: women who have undergone prophylactic removal of the ovaries.
    • Mæland MK, Eriksen EO, Synnes O.
    • Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2014 Oct;18(5):521-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2014.04.006. Epub 2014 May 28.
    • Does perceived risk predict breast cancer screening use? Findings from a prospective cohort study of female relatives from the Ontario site of the breast cancer family registry.
    • Walker MJ, Mirea L, Glendon G, Ritvo P, Andrulis IL, Knight JA, Chiarelli AM.
    • Breast. 2014 Aug;23(4):482-8. doi: 10.1016/j.breast.2014.04.001. Epub 2014 May 10.
    • Experience of BRCA1/2 mutation-negative young women from families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: a qualitative study.
    • Macrae L, de Souza AN, Loiselle CG, Wong N.
    • Hered Cancer Clin Pract. 2013 Oct 16;11(1):14. doi: 10.1186/1897-4287-11-14.
    • Perceived risk and adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines among women with a familial history of breast cancer: a review of the literature.
    • Walker MJ, Chiarelli AM, Knight JA, Mirea L, Glendon G, Ritvo P.
    • Breast. 2013 Aug;22(4):395-404. doi: 10.1016/j.breast.2012.12.005. Epub 2013 Jan 10.
    • Review
    • The impact of having a sister diagnosed with breast cancer on cancer-related distress and breast cancer risk perception.
    • Metcalfe KA, Quan ML, Eisen A, Cil T, Sun P, Narod SA.
    • Cancer. 2013 May 1;119(9):1722-8. doi: 10.1002/cncr.27924. Epub 2013 Feb 7.
    • Impact of family history on choosing risk-reducing surgery among BRCA mutation carriers.
    • Singh K, Lester J, Karlan B, Bresee C, Geva T, Gordon O.
    • Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Apr;208(4):329.e1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2013.01.026. Epub 2013 Jan 17.
    • A multi-case report of the pathways to and through genetic testing and cancer risk management for BRCA mutation-positive women aged 18-25.
    • Hoskins LM, Werner-Lin A.
    • J Genet Couns. 2013 Feb;22(1):27-38. doi: 10.1007/s10897-012-9521-y. Epub 2012 Aug 3.
    • Family history of cancer and its association with breast cancer risk perception and repeat mammography.
    • Haber G, Ahmed NU, Pekovic V.
    • Am J Public Health. 2012 Dec;102(12):2322-9. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300786. Epub 2012 Oct 18.
    • Familial breast cancer: less emotional distress in adult daughters if they provide emotional support to their affected mother.
    • Vodermaier A, Stanton AL.
    • Fam Cancer. 2012 Dec;11(4):645-52. doi: 10.1007/s10689-012-9566-y.
    • Beliefs about optimal age and screening frequency predict breast screening adherence in a prospective study of female relatives from the Ontario site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry.
    • Ritvo P, Edwards SA, Glendon G, Mirea L, Knight JA, Andrulis IL, Chiarelli AM.
    • BMC Public Health. 2012 Jul 12;12:518. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-518.
    • When parents disclose BRCA1/2 test results: Their communication and perceptions of offspring response.
    • Bradbury AR, Patrick-Miller L, Egleston BL, Olopade OI, Daly MB, Moore CW, Sands CB, Schmidheiser H, Kondamudi PK, Feigon M, Ibe CN, Daugherty CK.
    • Cancer. 2012 Jul 1;118(13):3417-25. doi: 10.1002/cncr.26471. Epub 2012 Jan 9.

    Related:

    Press: Most parents who get tested for breast cancer genes share results with their children. (EurekAlert!)

    Press: Most Parents Disclose Cancer Gene Results to Children. (Medscape)

    • Exploration of the family's role and strengths after a young woman is diagnosed with breast cancer: views of women and their families.
    • Coyne E, Wollin J, Creedy DK.
    • Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2012 Apr;16(2):124-30. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2011.04.013. Epub 2011 May 20.