Health professionals’ evaluation of delivering treatment-focused genetic testing to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer

Kirsten F. L. Douma, Bettina Meiser, Judy Kirk, Gillian Mitchell, Christobel Saunders, Belinda Rahman, Mariana S. Sousa, Kristine Barlow-Stewart, Margaret Gleeson, Kathy Tucker

Increasingly, women are offered genetic testing shortly after diagnosis of breast cancer to facilitate decision-making about treatment, often referred to as 'treatment-focused genetic testing' (TFGT). As understanding the attitudes of health professionals is likely to inform its integration into clinical care we surveyed professionals who participated in our TFGT randomized control study. Thirty-six completed surveys were received (response rate 59 %), 15 (42 %) health professionals classified as genetic and 21 (58 %) as non-genetic. Mainly positive experiences with participating in the TFGT trial were reported. The high cost of testing and who could best deliver information about TGFT to the patient were raised as key constraints to implementation of TFGT in usual care. More non-genetic than genetic health professionals (44 vs 8 %) preferred that the surgeon provide the information for decision-making about TFGT. While costs of TFGT itself and the time and effort of staff involved were perceived barriers, as testing costs become lower, it is expected that TFGT will become a routine part of standard clinical care for patients at high genetic risk in the near future.