[Psychosocial counseling after diagnosis for non-carriers of hereditary breast cancer or ovarian cancer; is it needed?].

In 4 women, aged 29, 44, 51 and 63 years, from families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2), DNA testing had shown that they were non-carriers of a genetic mutation. They were invited for a study of what this finding meant to them. Two of them had no problems and 2 experienced psychological problems such as guilt feelings and distress from changed future perspectives. Psychosocial care was offered. One woman first accepted the psychosocial care, but later refused, because talking provoked painful memories. One woman got psychosocial care in the region where she lived. To select women with distress who need psychosocial care after being identified as non-carriers, the counsellor could ask after deaths in the family, the kind of contact in the family, complaints of gloominess or worrying, and previous psychosocial therapy.