Psycho-social aspects of breast cancer susceptibility testing: a literature review

An important demand for breast cancer susceptibility (BRCA) testing is anticipated not only in women at high risk of breast cancer but also in the general population. However, the benefits of this new technology may be substantially counterbalanced by the risks and limitations associated with it. BRCA testing offers the potential for early detection of breast cancer; however, it may lead to psycho-socially harmful consequences. Both carriers and non-carriers of a BRCA mutation may face tremendous emotional upheaval which may adversely impact on subsequent attitudes towards health care. This paper points to the need for empirical studies examining the psycho-social aspects of BRCA testing. These studies should be undertaken cross-culturally in order to take into account the variations due to different health care systems and cultural background on psycho-social correlates of cancer genetic testing.     

Burn injury has a systemic effect on reinnervation of skin and restoration of nociceptive function

Burn injury can lead to abnormal sensory function at both the injury and at distant uninjured sites. Here, we used a mouse model to investigate return of nociceptive function and reinnervation of the skin at the wound and uninjured distant sites following a 3% total burn surface area full‐thickness burn injury. We have previously shown that topical application of zinc‐metallothionein‐IIA (Zn₇‐MT‐IIA) accelerates healing following burn injury, and here, we investigated the potential of Zn₇‐MT‐IIA to enhance reinnervation and sensory recovery. In all burn‐injured animals, there was a significant reduction in nociceptive responses (Semmes–Weinstein filaments) at locations near and distant to the wound up to 8 weeks following injury. Cutaneous nerve reinnervation (assessed using protein gene product 9.5 immunohistochemistry) of the wound center was slow in the epidermis but rapid in the dermis. In the dermis, nerves subsequently degenerated both at the wound center and in distant uninjured areas. In contrast, epidermal nerve densities in the distant uninjured areas returned to normal, uninjured levels. Zn₇‐MT‐IIA did not influence return of nociceptive function nor reinnervation. We conclude that burn injury compromises nociceptive function and nerve regeneration both at the injury site and systemically; thus, therapies in addition to Zn₇‐MT‐IIA should be explored to return normal sensory function.