Breast Cancer Screening Requirements of Daughters Whose Mothers with Hereditary Breast Cancer

Abstract

          Background: Breast cancer is a hereditary disease. Women with a family history of breast cancer have approximately twice the risk of developing the disease compared with the general population, while women with a first-degree relative diagnosed with hereditary breast cancer have an approximately 30% increased risk. Objective: This study aimed to predict the need for breast cancer screening among daughters of mothers with hereditary breast cancer. Method: The study included 40 daughters of mothers with hereditary breast cancer. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included age, weight, height, marital status, educational level, healthcare coverage, alcohol consumption, smoking status, age at first childbirth, age at menarche, oral contraceptive use, knowledge regarding health check-ups, and the need for breast cancer screening. Data were obtained through face-to-face or telephone interviews between May 2023 and April 2024. Descriptive statistics (percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and logistic regression analysis were used for data analysis. Result: The participants (n = 40) had a mean age of 25.73 years (SD = 8.88) and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 22.08 kg/m² (SD = 3.38). Most were single (77.5%) and had attained at least a bachelor’s degree (47.5%). The results showed that daughters’ age, body mass index (BMI), educational level, and the age difference between mother and daughter significantly predicted the need for breast cancer screening, accounting for 63.2% of the variance (Nagelkerke R² = 0.632). Conclusion: The findings may inform the development of tailored care strategies  and counseling for breast cancer screening by considering individual characteristics (age, body mass index, and educational level) and promoting family communication between mothers and daughters to enhance screening intentions.