The Communication of Genetic Risk to Adolescent Daughters of Women With Breast Cancer

The Communication of Genetic Risk to Adolescent Daughters of Women With Breast Cancer

The purpose of this study is to first understand how MSKCC Clinical Genetics Service doctors talk to women with breast cancer about any genetic risks they might carry, and if they help women to think about what they might say, in turn, to their relatives, especially their daughters.

A second part of the study asks women for their opinions about when and how their daughters should be told about any genetic risks.

All of this will help us develop teaching methods to help our doctors improve the way they talk about genetic risk when women with breast cancer have adolescent daughters.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women seen in the MSK CGS Service who have a diagnosis of breast cancer or
• a family history of breast cancer and
• have biological daughter(s) in the age range 12-20 years will be eligible to participate in Phase I & II.
• Women who were consented to Phase I will automatically be eligible for Phase II.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women seen in the MSK CGS Service will be ineligible if they have no diagnosis of breast cancer and no family history of breast cancer,
• do not have a biological daughter,
• or have a biological daughter fewer than 12 or greater than 20 years(unless they were consented to Phase 1).
• Women will be ineligible if they are not English speaking,
• have intellectual or cognitive impairment,
• or active mental illness rendering them incapable of giving informed consent, such as might occur with active psychosis.