Early onset breast cancer in a registry-based sample of African-american women: BRCA mutation prevalence, and other personal and system-level clinical characteristics.

Young Black women are disproportionately afflicted with breast cancer, a proportion of which may be due to BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA) gene mutations. In a sample of Black women with early onset breast cancer, we evaluated BRCA mutations and explored personal and system-level clinical characteristics. Black women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer (age ≤50) were recruited through the state cancer registry.

Reproductive health in the adolescent and young adult cancer patient: an innovative training program for oncology nurses.

In 2008, approximately 69,200 adolescents and young adults (AYAs) were diagnosed with cancer, second only to heart disease for males in this age group. Despite recent guidelines from professional organizations and clinical research that AYA oncology patients want information about reproductive health topics and physician support for nurses to address these issues with patients, existing research finds few oncology nurses discuss this topic with patients due to barriers such as lack of training. This article describes an innovative eLearning training program, entitled Educating Nurses about Reproductive Issues in Cancer Healthcare.

Physicians' intentions to change pap smear frequency following human papillomavirus vaccination.

Study Objective: We evaluated factors associated with physicians' intentions to perform Pap smears in human papillomavirus-vaccinated women.

Design: Physicians were mailed a survey asking about intentions to change cervical cancer screening based on patients' human papillomavirus vaccination status.

Participants: A national sample of 1,738 Family Physicians, Internal Medicine Physicians, Pediatricians, and Obstetricians and Gynecologists was selected from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile.

Genetic risk assessments in individuals at high risk for inherited breast cancer in the breast oncology care setting.

Background: It has become increasingly common to consider BRCA mutation status when determining optimal cancer risk management and treatment options in order to improve patient outcomes. Knowledge about the risk for hereditary cancer at or as close as possible to the time of diagnosis allows patients access to the most risk reduction options available.

Methods: This paper illustrates the role of genetic risk assessment for hereditary breast cancer, using hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome as a model due to germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2.

The role of radiation oncologists and discussion of fertility preservation in young cancer patients.

Purpose: The risk of infertility increases after cancer treatment with chemotherapy, with radiotherapy, and in some cases with surgery. The goal of these secondary analyses was to examine potential differences in practice behaviors, specifically referral and discussion of fertility preservation, among oncologists (ie, surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists).

Methods And Materials: Two items examining discussion and referral for fertility preservation were administered as part of a larger 53-item survey measuring oncologists' fertility preservation knowledge, practice behaviors, and attitudes was developed and mailed to a nationally representative, stratified, random sample of US oncology care physicians.

Treatment Choices Based on OncotypeDx in the Breast Oncology Care Setting.

Introduction. This study aimed to evaluate whether OncotypeDx test results predict receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients who received an OncotypeDx recurrence score (RS). Materials and Methods.

Do Breast Cancer Patients Tested in the Oncology Care Setting Share BRCA Mutation Results with Family Members and Health Care Providers?

BRCA genetic test results provide important information to manage cancer risk for patients and their families. Little is known on the communication of genetic test results by mutation status with family members and physicians in the oncology care setting. As part of a longitudinal study evaluating the impact of genetic counseling and testing among recently diagnosed breast cancer patients, we collected patients' self-reported patterns of disclosure.

Cognitive and psychological impact of BRCA genetic counseling in before and after definitive surgery breast cancer patients.

Purpose: To examine changes in cancer-related knowledge, distress, and decisional conflict from pre- to post-genetic counseling (GC) in before (BDS) and after (ADS) definitive surgery breast cancer (BC) patients.

Methods: Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected at baseline; primary outcome data were collected before (T1) and after (T2) pretest GC. Within group changes for cancer-related knowledge, distress, and decisional conflict over genetic testing were compared by Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Do Florida Medicaid providers' barriers to HPV vaccination vary based on VFC program participation?

This study aimed to determine if physicians' perceived barriers to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination were associated with participation in the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. A sample of 800 Florida Medicaid providers was randomly selected from the Florida Medicaid Master Provider File. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a 27-item survey that included 13 potential barriers to immunizing Medicaid patients against HPV, including concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy, discussing sexuality, vaccinated teens practicing riskier sexual behaviors, cost and reimbursement, ensuring 3-dose series completion, and school attendance requirements associated with HPV vaccination.

A national survey about human papillomavirus vaccination: what we didn't ask, but physicians wanted us to know.

Study Objective: The current study presents findings from a qualitative examination of free text comments from a national survey of U.S. physicians on human papillomavirus vaccine recommendation beliefs and practices.

A pilot study to examine patient awareness and provider discussion of the impact of cancer treatment on fertility in a registry-based sample of African American women with breast cancer.

Purpose: Fertility is a concern for many cancer patients diagnosed during their reproductive years. Although African American women are more likely to be diagnosed with early breast cancer (i.e.

Physicians' undecided attitudes toward posthumous reproduction: fertility preservation in cancer patients with a poor prognosis.

Background: The American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) established guidelines for fertility preservation for cancer patients. In a national study of US oncologists, we examined attitudes toward the use of fertility preservation among patients with a poor prognosis, focusing on attitudes toward posthumous reproduction.

Method: A cross-sectional survey was administered via mail and Internet to a stratified random sample of US oncologists.

High-risk consumers' perceptions of preimplantation genetic diagnosis for hereditary cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Individuals carrying deleterious germline mutations placing them at increased risk for hereditary cancer syndromes (high-risk consumers) often have a great deal of fear and concern over transmitting mutations to their offspring, particularly conditions which are autosomal dominant. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a procedure that can detect certain germline cancer predisposing mutations present in embryos. The objective of this review was to assess high-risk consumers' knowledge and perceptions of PGD for hereditary cancers.

Colorectal cancer survivors' interest in genetic testing for hereditary cancer: implications for universal tumor screening.

Aims: Benefits of universal tumor screening for Lynch syndrome (LS), the most common form of hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC), will be realized only if patients are interested in genetic counseling and testing. This study explores interest in genetic testing for hereditary CRC among CRC patients who have never received genetic counseling or testing.

Methods: Using results from a cross-sectional survey of CRC patients (n=91) at varying categories of risk for hereditary CRC, bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to compare positive and negative attitudinal beliefs regarding genetic testing, risk perceptions, demographics, and tumor stage of those who were interested in genetic testing (n=61) and those who were not interested or were not sure (n=30).

Developing strategies for reducing cancer disparities via cross-institutional collaboration: outreach efforts for the partnership between the Ponce School of Medicine and the Moffitt Cancer Center.

The disproportionate burden of cancer among U.S. Hispanics is well documented.

A pilot study of knowledge and interest of genetic counseling and testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome among Puerto Rican women.

This study explored baseline levels of knowledge and attitude toward genetic testing (GT) for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer among Puerto Rican women. A secondary aim was to evaluate whether these factors differed between respondents in Puerto Rico and Tampa. Puerto Rican women with a personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer who live in Puerto Rico (n = 25) and Tampa (n = 20) were interviewed.

Challenges in recruiting Mexican women for cancer genetics research.

Hispanic women often have low participation rates in cancer genetics research. Additionally, Hispanic sub-ethnicities may have varying accrual rates based on unique cultural factors. Hispanic women were recruited through flyers placed in the Tampa Bay Community to participate in an interview about knowledge of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

Developing a referral system for fertility preservation among patients with newly diagnosed cancer.

The goal of this project was to develop a referral system to increase the likelihood that patients of childbearing age with newly diagnosed cancer receive timely information about fertility, and reduce the burden oncologists may feel when discussing and exploring fertility preservation options with their patients. The group developed and examined the effectiveness of a fertility preservation referral system through pilot-testing a developed patient education brochure. During the 12-month pilot-testing period, 776 patients of childbearing age (< 40 years) were seen at H.

Perceptions of colorectal cancer among three ethnic subgroups of US blacks: a qualitative study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently associated with one of the highest burdens of morbidity and mortality among American men and women. Racial/ethnic disparities are well documented and the subject of intense research and intervention. Our understanding of disparities related to awareness and perceptions about causes, risk factors, and screening for CRC among subgroups of blacks in the United States is limited.

A SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS APPROACH TO UNDERSTAND CHANGES IN A CANCER DISPARITIES COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP NETWORK.

The Tampa Bay Community Cancer Network (TBCCN) is one of the Community Network Program sites funded (2005-10) by the National Cancer Institute's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities. TBCCN was tasked to form a sustainable, community-based partnership network focused on the goal of reducing cancer health disparities among racial-ethnic minority and medically underserved populations. This article reports evaluation outcome results from a social network analysis and discusses the varying TBCCN partner roles-in education, training, and research-over a span of three years (2007-09).

Missed clinical opportunities: provider recommendations for HPV vaccination for 11-12 year old girls are limited.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of physician recommendation of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in early (ages 11-12), middle (13-17), and late adolescent/young adult (18-26) female patients by physician specialty, and to identify factors associated with recommendation in early adolescents.

Methods: A 38-item survey was conducted April 2009 through August 2009 among a nationally representative random sample of 1538 Family Physicians, Pediatricians, and Obstetricians and Gynecologists obtained from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. A multivariable model was used to assess factors associated with frequency of physician recommendation of HPV vaccination ("always"=76-100% of the time vs.

Important considerations for recruiting women to cancer genetics studies in Puerto Rico.

A goal of the Minority Institution/Cancer Center Partnership between the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Florida is to provide cross-cultural training in cancer research. This is achieved through a collaborative summer exchange program, which provides US students with an opportunity to conduct research in Puerto Rico.

Oncologists' use of patient educational materials about cancer and fertility preservation.

Background: This study sought to determine the prevalence of distribution of fertility preservation (FP) materials, source of the materials, and providers' perceived relevance of the materials among a sample of US oncologists.

Methods: A 53-item survey was administered via mail and the Web to a stratified sample of oncologists from the American Medical Association Masterfile. This study represents a subset of results, reporting on three survey items.