Impact of preoperative BRCA1/2 testing on surgical decision making in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

The utility and benefit of integrating germ-line genetic testing into the management of newly diagnosed breast cancer is not fully understood. This study evaluates the impact of preoperative genetic testing on surgical decision making in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Women with newly diagnosed breast cancer were classified into preoperative or postoperative genetic testing group, depending on whether they received their genetic testing results prior to or after their first surgery.

Preoperative genetic testing impacts surgical decision making in BRCA mutation carriers with breast cancer: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Background: The impact of timing of genetic testing on surgical decision making in women with breast cancer and mutation is not well known.

Methods: Women who were found to carry a deleterious mutation and had been diagnosed with breast cancer were identified from a database at Beaumont Health. Women who had received positive results at least a day prior to their index surgery were considered to be aware of their mutation status prior to surgery.

Centralization of low back pain and perceived functional outcome.

McKenzie's methods for evaluating and treating low back pain are used often but studied little. When using the McKenzie system, it is important to observe signs of symptom movement to a central location (centralization). This study investigated the relationships between centralization of low back pain and/or radiculopathy and the subjects' rating of functional outcome.

Perceptions of smoking risk as a function of smoking status.

Perceptions of the health risks associated with smoking in comparison with not smoking were assessed for the self and the "typical smoker" among four groups of adults: current, former and nonsmokers in the community, and smokers who had joined cessation clinics to help them quit. Comparisons across groups indicated that risk perceptions differed as a function of smoking status. Clinic attendees reported the highest smoking risk and the greatest perceived benefit of not smoking, and community smokers reported the lowest of each.