Preliminary report of the relationship between experience of death of a relative, illness perception, and psychological outcome among BRCA carriers.

With recent advances in mapping the genetic mutations involved in breast cancer and the availability of genetic testing, it has become necessary to explore the psychological consequences of women who have tested positive for the gene mutations involved in breast cancer (BReast CAncer gene one and two, BRCA1/2). Findings regarding psychological consequences of positive results in genetic testing for breast cancer are ambiguous and insufficient. The aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between experience of the death of a relative due to breast cancer, perception of the illness, distress, and well-being among BRCA1/2 mutation women carriers.