Guertler Diana, Reinhard Ann-Kristin, Ulbricht Sabina, Chenot Jean-François, Felbor Ute, Wurm Susanne
Department of Methods of Community Medicine, Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
J Genet Couns. 2025 Aug;34(4):e70105. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.70105.
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the awareness and knowledge of familial breast and ovarian cancer among German males and females. Participants were patients ≥18 years from six general practices in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Between April 26 and July 11, 2024, all patients in the waiting room of the practices were systematically approached by a study assistant and invited to an anonymous self-administered survey on familial cancer prevention and health behaviors. A total of 479 (67.0%) patients participated, and 437 with complete outcome data were analyzed (mean age = 54.0, SD = 16.6; males 34.6%). Chi-squared and t-tests were used to examine potential disparities in awareness and knowledge of familial breast and ovarian cancer by gender, age, community size, education level, and cancer history. A large proportion (75.5%) of the participants had heard of hereditary breast or ovarian cancer, and 58.4% had heard of genetic counseling. Awareness of the certified center for familial breast and ovarian cancer in Greifswald (32.5%) and genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer (39.8%) was lower. On average, 43% of the knowledge questions were correctly answered: largest knowledge gaps concerned the heritability of cancer through fathers and the frequency of gene mutations. Awareness and knowledge levels varied by gender, age, education, and cancer history. Low awareness of genetic counseling and testing may prevent at-risk families from seeking early interventions. Dissemination of knowledge to the general public should focus particularly on individuals with lower education, as they are currently the least informed.
这项横断面研究的目的是描述德国男性和女性对家族性乳腺癌和卵巢癌的认识与了解情况。研究对象为来自梅克伦堡-前波美拉尼亚州六个普通诊所的18岁及以上患者。在2024年4月26日至7月11日期间，研究助理在诊所候诊室系统地接触了所有患者，并邀请他们参加一项关于家族性癌症预防和健康行为的匿名自填式调查。共有479名（67.0%）患者参与，对437名有完整结果数据的患者进行了分析（平均年龄 = 54.0，标准差 = 16.6；男性占34.6%）。使用卡方检验和t检验来研究按性别、年龄、社区规模、教育水平和癌症病史划分的家族性乳腺癌和卵巢癌认识与了解方面的潜在差异。很大一部分（75.5%）参与者听说过遗传性乳腺癌或卵巢癌，58.4%听说过遗传咨询。对格赖夫斯瓦尔德家族性乳腺癌和卵巢癌认证中心的知晓率（32.5%）以及对乳腺癌和卵巢癌基因检测的知晓率（39.8%）较低。平均而言，43%的知识问题回答正确：最大的知识差距涉及癌症通过父亲遗传的情况以及基因突变的频率。认识与了解水平因性别、年龄、教育程度和癌症病史而异。对遗传咨询和检测的低知晓率可能会阻止高危家庭寻求早期干预。向公众传播知识应特别关注教育程度较低的人群，因为他们目前了解最少。
