The Psychosocial Impact of Undergoing Prophylactic Total Gastrectomy (PTG) to Manage the Risk of Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC).
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Authors
Lawton, Julia
Badger, Shirlene
Richardson, Sue
Hardwick, Richard H
Caldas, Carlos
Fitzgerald, Rebecca C
Publication Date
2017-08Journal Title
J Genet Couns
ISSN
1059-7700
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
26
Issue
4
Pages
752-762
Language
eng
Type
Article
Physical Medium
Print-Electronic
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Hallowell, N., Lawton, J., Badger, S., Richardson, S., Hardwick, R. H., Caldas, C., & Fitzgerald, R. C. (2017). The Psychosocial Impact of Undergoing Prophylactic Total Gastrectomy (PTG) to Manage the Risk of Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC).. J Genet Couns, 26 (4), 752-762. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-016-0045-8
Abstract
Individuals identified as at high risk of developing Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC) are advised to undergo prophylactic surgery - have their stomach removed - in their early twenties. Research with (older) cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy for curative reasons suggests that gastric resection has a number of physical and psychosocial sequelae. Because it is difficult to extrapolate the findings of studies of older cancer patients to younger healthy patients who are considering prophylactic total gastrectomy (PTG), the aim of this qualitative interview study was to determine the psychosocial implications of undergoing prophylactic surgery to manage genetic risk. Fourteen men and 13 women from the UK's Familial Gastric Cancer study who had undergone PTG were invited to participate in qualitative interviews. Most reported that undergoing surgery and convalescence was easier than anticipated. There was evidence that age affected experiences of PTG, with younger patients tending to report faster recovery times and more transient aftereffects. All saw the benefits of risk reduction as outweighing the costs of surgery. Surgery was described as having a range of physical impacts (disrupted appetite, weight loss, fatigue, GI symptoms) that had related psychological, social and economic implications. Those considering PTG need to be aware that its impact on quality of life is difficult to predict and negative sequelae may be ongoing for some individuals.
Keywords
Humans, Stomach Neoplasms, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Gastrectomy, Qualitative Research, Quality of Life, Adult, Middle Aged, Female, Male
Sponsorship
Department of Health (via National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)) (NF-SI-0515-10090)
Cancer Research UK (CB4140)
Cancer Research UK (unknown)
Cancer Research UK (60098573)
Cancer Research UK (unknown)
Department of Health (via National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)) (unknown)
European Commission (260791)
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) (RG51913)
Cancer Research Uk (None)
European Commission FP7 Network of Excellence (NoE) (260791)
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) (unknown)
Cancer Research Uk (None)
Academy of Medical Sciences (unknown)
Medical Research Council (MR/M008975/1)
Academy of Medical Sciences (ALI 01/08/14)
Pathological Society of Great Britain & Ireland (CDF 2012/01)
European Commission FP7 Collaborative projects (CP) (258967)
Cancer Research UK (C507/A16278)
European Commission (258967)
Cancer Research UK (20544)
Medical Research Council (MR/P012442/1)
European Commission and European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) FP7 Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) (115749)
European Commission (242006)
European Research Council (694620)
Cancer Research UK (A24622)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-016-0045-8
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/280189
Rights
Licence:
http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
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