Patient decision aids in mainstreaming genetic testing for women with ovarian cancer: A prospective cohort study

Objective: To evaluate patient preference for short (gist) or detailed/extensive decision aids (DA) for genetic testing at ovarian cancer (OC) diagnosis.

Design: Cohort study set within recruitment to the Systematic Genetic Testing for Personalised Ovarian Cancer Therapy (SIGNPOST) study (ISRCTN: 16988857).

Setting: North-East London Cancer Network (NELCN) population.

Population/sample: Women with high-grade non-mucinous epithelial OC.

Methods: A more detailed DA was developed using patient and stakeholder input following the principles/methodology of IPDAS (International Patients Decision Aids Standards). Unselected patients attending oncology clinics evaluated both a pre-existing short and a new long DA version and then underwent mainstreaming genetic testing by a cancer clinician. Appropriate inferential descriptive and regression analyses were undertaken.

Main outcome measures: Satisfaction, readability, understanding, emotional well-being and preference for long/short DA.

Results: The mean age of patients was 66 years (interquartile range 11), and 85% were White British ethnicity. Of the participants, 74% found DAs helpful/useful in decision-making. Women reported higher levels of satisfaction (86% versus 58%, p < 0.001), right amount of information provided (76.79% versus49.12%, p < 0.001) and improved understanding (p < 0.001) with the long DA compared with the short DA. There was no statistically significant difference in emotional outcomes (feeling worried/concerned/reassured/upset) between 'short' and 'long' DA; 74% of patients preferred the long DA and 24% the short DA. Patients undergoing treatment (correlation coefficient (coef) = 0.603; 95% CI 0.165-1.041, p = 0.007), those with recurrence (coef = 0.493; 95% CI 0.065-0.92, p = 0.024) and older women (coef = 0.042; 95% CI 0.017-0.066, p = 0.001) preferred the short DA. Ethnicity did not affect outcomes or overall preference for long/short DA.

Conclusions: A longer DA in OC patients has higher satisfaction without increasing emotional distress. Older women and those undergoing treatment/recurrence prefer less extensive information, whereas those in remission preferred a longer DA.