Characterizing biased cancer-related cognitive processing: relationships with BRCA1/2 genetic mutation status, personal cancer history, age, and prophylactic surgery.

Objective: This study evaluated associations of cancer-related cognitive processing with BRCA1/2 mutation carrier status, personal cancer history, age, and election of prophylactic surgery in women at high risk for breast cancer.

Method: In a 2 (BRCA1/2 mutation carrier status) × 2 (personal cancer history) matched-control design, with age as an additional predictor, participants (N = 115) completed a computerized cancer Stroop task. Dependent variables were response latency to cancer-related stimuli (reaction time [RT]) and cancer-related cognitive interference (cancer RT minus neutral RT).