The clinical use of genealogical techniques in cancer investigations: a questionnaire survey.

This survey of physicians covered their attitudes toward, knowledge of, and diligence in the integration of family history and its application to the care of patients with multiple atypical nevi. The respondents recognized the importance of a personal or family history of malignant melanoma and a medical genealogical investigation of the kindred, but they gave little attention to pursuing an in-depth genetic investigation of their patients' kindred. The data suggest that curricula in medical schools need to include not only the clinical expressions of genetic disorders but must emphasize the physicians' behavior skills pursuing genealogical investigative techniques in the preventive health care of patients and their kindred with hereditary cancers.