Lifestyle risk factors are known to increase the risks for certain cancers. However, these factors are often not discussed during hereditary cancer risk counseling. This study explored self-reported improvements to lifestyle risk factors and perception of cancer risk in the setting of hereditary cancer risk counseling. The study involved 2,000 participants undergoing genetic counseling at three California hospitals who completed pre-counseling and post-testing surveys, with questions pertaining to risk perception and changes to modifiable lifestyle risk factors.

Results from this study give insight into lifestyle improvements made in the setting of genetic counseling and testing. Over a third of the study participants indicated that they made a lifestyle improvement. Participants with modifiable lifestyle risk factors were not more likely to make improvements to lifestyle than participants without these lifestyle risk factors; they were also not more likely to perceive they were at higher risk for specific cancers. Participants who tested negative for a mutation did not improve their lifestyle more often than those who tested positive for a mutation.

This study identifies a gap in knowledge of cancer risk in participants with modifiable lifestyle risk factors. It also highlights that mutation carriers are engaging in lifestyle improvements even though the benefit to them is not well understood. Thus, it may be important for genetic counselors to address lifestyle risk factors during risk counseling. Future studies may focus on understanding the impact and efficacy of lifestyle risk counseling during hereditary cancer counseling.