INTERACT

Breast Cancer Scenario

You've seen what your sister, Elizabeth, went through as she fought her cancer. After your mother was diagnosed as well, you decided to educate yourself about all your prevention and treatment options. You stick to a diet that is very low in fat (studies have linked high fat intake to an increased risk of breast cancer in the general population) and high in leafy green, yellow, and orange vegetables (some studies correlate eating plants high in vitamin A to a decreased cancer risk). You've also embraced some non-traditional methods of prevention - you've begun drinking green tea and eating lots of soy products, which some people believe have a protective anti-cancer effect. And you've been exercising regularly since your college days.

Recently, you discovered that your sister and mother both carry a genetic mutation that predisposes them to breast cancer. You don't know if you carry the gene, but if you do all of your lifestyle changes might be for nothing - nobody really knows if diet and exercise make a difference in breast cancer risk for women who carry the BRCA-1 or -2 mutation. Nevertheless, you've decided not to get tested for the mutation. If you believe you have a death sentence hanging over your head, you reason, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You've now been asked if you'd like to participate in research testing of an experimental drug that may cut women's chances of getting breast cancer. The researchers would test to see if you carry the genetic mutation but assure you that they'll keep the results a secret, if you'd prefer. The testing could be risky, because the drug may have as-yet unknown side effects. On the other hand, you may be one of a control group that gets a placebo instead. And, of course, the drug study has the potential to be highly beneficial, both to you and to other women who might be at risk of breast cancer in the future.

Should you participate?

Yes, participate.

No, don't participate.