Amlung S, Huelsman K, Skinn B
Institute for Nursing Research, College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, West Chester, OH 45069, USA.
AACN Clin Issues. 1998 Nov;9(4):555-62. doi: 10.1097/00044067-199811000-00010.
Information concerning genetic predisposition and the discovery of genes associated with certain cancer risks is changing rapidly. Nurses must keep abreast of these changes so that they can better understand the choices patients have and the consequences of those choices. This article discusses the issues pertinent to women with a genetic predisposition to breast or ovarian cancer, or both. Discoveries in the Human Genome Project have already begun to change traditional perspectives on screening, diagnosing, preventing, and treating cancer. These genetic discoveries hold both promise and concern for health care professionals. The promise lies in the precise identification of genetic predisposition to common diseases and the potential to prevent or reduce morbidity and mortality rates. The concern lies in issues of confidentiality and discrimination: Predicting predisposition to incurable illnesses may have substantial negative impact on the person's quality of life and psychosocial integrity.
有关遗传易感性以及与某些癌症风险相关基因的发现正在迅速变化。护士必须跟上这些变化，以便能更好地理解患者所面临的选择以及这些选择的后果。本文讨论了与有乳腺癌或卵巢癌或两者遗传易感性的女性相关的问题。人类基因组计划中的发现已经开始改变对癌症筛查、诊断、预防和治疗的传统观念。这些基因发现给医疗保健专业人员带来了希望和担忧。希望在于能够精确识别常见疾病的遗传易感性，以及预防或降低发病率和死亡率的潜力。担忧在于保密和歧视问题：预测对不治之症的易感性可能会对个人的生活质量和心理社会完整性产生重大负面影响。
