Beliefs about cancer and diet among those considering genetic testing for colon cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To assess beliefs about the role of diet in cancer prevention among individuals considering genetic testing for Lynch Syndrome.

DESIGN

Family-centered, cascade recruitment; baseline assessment of a longitudinal study.

SETTING

Clinical research setting.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were 390 persons, ages 18 and older, including persons with a Lynch Syndrome-associated cancer and suspected of carrying a disease causing mutation, and relatives at risk for inheriting a previously identified mutation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assess clustering of beliefs about the role of diet in cancer prevention and predictors of class membership.

ANALYSIS: Confirmatory factor analysis; 2-class factor mixture model with binary indicators; multilevel regression analyses, individuals nested within families.

RESULTS

Women endorsed a relationship between diet and cancer prevention more often than men (P < .01). A 2-class model was used where Class 1 indicated less likely to link cancer to diet, and Class 2 indicated more likely. Factors associated with increased odds of membership in Class 1 expressed belief that nothing can prevent cancer (P < .01) and fate attribution (P < .01); Class 2 mentioned personal cancer history (P < .05) and genetic knowledge (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Identifying factors associated with a belief in cancer prevention through dietary behaviors can inform targeted interventions.