Outcomes in Education and Counseling for HNPCC Testing
Outcomes in Education and Counseling for HNPCC Testing
RATIONALE: Identifying family and individual characteristics may help plan education and counseling for patients who are considering genetic testing.
PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying education and counseling to see what effect they have in patients who are undergoing genetic testing for hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (recruitment of new families with HNPCC stopped as of 04-26-06, recruitment of persons within families already participating continues).
OBJECTIVES:
OUTLINE: Participants complete a baseline assessment of knowledge, risk perception, and personality traits followed by a structured pretest education session. Participants are then offered the choice of whether or not to undergo genetic testing for mutations in hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC) genes. Participants who choose to undergo genetic testing provide a blood sample for this purpose. Participants who undergo genetic testing receive results and counseling (recruitment of new families with HNPCC stopped as of 04-26-06, recruitment of persons within families already participating continues).
Available surveillance options are discussed for all participants. Psychological and behavioral outcomes are reassessed at 6 and 12 months for both those choosing and not choosing genetic testing.
Tumors (when available) are analyzed for mismatched repair deficiency on the basis of microsatellite instability.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 900 participants will be accrued for this study, with a specific target of 200 individuals who have not experienced cancer within families identified with hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC) mutations (recruitment of new families with HNPCC stopped as of 04-26-06, recruitment of persons within families already participating continues).
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
Meets one of the following criteria:
Family history consistent with hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC)*
Diagnosis of colorectal cancer under age 41
HNPCC-associated cancer/polyps* under age 41 with a microsatellite instability (MSI) phenotype
Multiple primary HNPCC-associated cancers* regardless of family history
Colorectal or other HNPCC-associated tumor/polyp* demonstrating a positive MSI phenotype and at least 1 second-degree (or closer) and 1 third-degree (or closer) relative with a HNPCC-associated cancer
1 affected family member must have one of the following:
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
Age:
Performance status:
Life expectancy:
Hematopoietic:
Hepatic:
Renal:
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
Biologic therapy:
Chemotherapy:
Endocrine:
Radiotherapy:
Surgery: