The Importance of Pre-test Counseling in Diagnosing Malignant Neoplasms of the Mammary Gland

Introduction. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide. A hereditary component accounts for about 5–10% of all breast cancers, emphasizing the importance of genetic testing to detect high risk individuals. However, the process of genetic testing is associated with various psychological and ethical issues, including psychological burden on patients, the risk of genetic discrimination, and the need to inform relatives about the test results.

Purpose. To evaluate the significance of pre-test counseling in the process of genetic testing for hereditary forms of breast cancer.

Materials and methods. A questionnaire was created to assess the level of patient awareness about hereditary breast cancer. The impact of medical genetic counseling on sharing information with relatives was also studied. The study was conducted at the Center for Personalized Medicine of the A.S. Loginov Moscow Scientific Center.

Results. It was found that patients who underwent pre-test counseling were significantly more likely to inform their relatives about the GT results. In the group without pre-test counseling, fear of receiving negative information and anxiety about data confidentiality predominated.

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