Previvors are individuals who have increased lifetime risk of hereditary cancer due to a pathogenic genetic variant but who have not been diagnosed with cancer. An inherent aspect of living with a pathogenic variant increasing cancer risk is uncertainty. Previvors unable to manage this uncertainty are at risk for negative outcomes such as heightened psychological distress over time and impeded health decision-making. Drawing on my decade of cancer communication research and personal experiences with inherited cancer, in this talk, I will present two projects focused how previvors manage cancer-related uncertainty, make health and fertility decisions, and communicate inherited cancer risk information with their family members and clinicians. Implications will highlight how psychosocial interventions and communication tools can aid in decision-making and ultimately enhance emotional well-being and long-term survival. Marleah Dean Kruzel (PhD, Texas A&M University) is an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida and a Collaborator Member in the Health Outcomes & Behavior Program at the Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Dean Kruzel's research interests are cancer communication and the communication of genetic risk information. She is an expert on the health experiences and decisions of previvors. Her research has been published in numerous journals such as Genetics in Medicine, Health Communication, Patient Education & Counseling, Journal of Applied Communication Research, and Journal of Genetic Counseling. Dr. Dean Kruzel's research is and has been funded by the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. A BRCA2-positive previvor herself, she is committed to patient engagement and science communication.

Conferences & Speakers