Online Genetic Test May be Motivating Factor for Smokers to Quit
Knowledge of genetic risk may encourage an individual to quit smoking, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Scientists evaluated responses to an online test taken by 44 smokers who did or did not have the GSTM1 gene, a common genetic variant associated with risk for lung cancer. The study found that GSTM1 was absent in 50% of smokers, a group in which all individuals correctly identified themselves as being “high-risk,” For those with the GSTM1 gene present, 55% accurately labeled themselves as “low-risk,” while 41% interpreted their result as being “average-risk.”
“That model is coming under increasing pressure as more and more genetic information is generated, and as a greater number of genetic tests become available on the internet, “ said Saskia Sanderson, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
“What we found was encouraging in that people who got these online genetic results recalled them correctly, and no one regretted having taken the test; though it is important to remember that this was a small group of select smokers and that others may respond differently.”
Smokers taking the test found the results to be believable, trustworthy, easy to understand, relevant, and important. After taking the test, regardless of being in the high-risk or low-risk group, all of the smokers selected some method of smoking cessation help.
“Genetic information is complex, and there is a risk that providing unfiltered information will result in heightened worry and misinterpretation of results,” said Jamie Ostroff, PhD, chief of behavioral science services at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. “This pilot study found no harm in undergoing these tests and underscores the importance of conducting future research as to how to best educate smokers about gene-environment risks.”
