Table 3 Representative quotes displaying participant variability in cancer risk perceptions and influencing factors

Do not know cancer risk

“… it was inconclusive, so you wouldn’t know. I don’t know whether that’s good or bad.” – Brian

“… there’s the risk of developing a Lynch-like or well Lynch-associated malignancy, which is difficult to define seeing as I don’t have a firm diagnosis of Lynch.” – Peter

Low cancer risk

“Well, another cancer of the same type, I think is pretty much zero. But any other cancer, I dunno … I’m just sort of fairly confident based on nothing really that I won’t get any other type of cancer.” – Trevor

“He said because you’ll be so heavily screened for any cancers, you have a lower risk than the rest of the population.” – Jodie

“I’ve got very low risk factors. I’ve never smoked. I’m pretty fit and active. I eat a balanced diet. There are no obvious signs … if I do look after myself, then there’s no reason why I would see myself in a situation where I’m having a recurrence.” – Matthew

Population level cancer risk

“… I just find probably it’s the same risk as anybody else.” – Amy

Increased cancer risk

“… you probably tend to think, oh, now I’ve had that cancer, maybe I’ll get another.” – Amy

“… because I got the bowel cancer early, there’s a good chance that I will get another tumour, because my bowel is obviously already of the type that will get tumours … and it’s purely probably that genetic thing.” – Veronica

“… while I was doing the radiation, she got me to fill something in that said there’s a risk from developing other things from this radiation … and because I’m doing a lot of tests and like CTs and all that, that increases my chances.” – Donna