Breast cancer hereditary
Common Questions and Answers about Breast cancer hereditary
breast
People with a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer may carry the mutated BRCA gene. Men and women who are concerned about their risk of breast cancer may want to visit a genetic counselor to discuss their family health history, as well as other factors, to determine if a genetic test would be helpful.
I wish you a healthy life..but it's always good to be informed on this matter.
Best wishes...
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BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genetic testing
The two genes most commonly associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer are called BRCA1 and BRCA2 (for Breast Cancer 1 and Breast Cancer 2 genes). There is a test which can be performed on blood or cheek swabs that can tell if a person carries a mutation in one of these genes.
There are several different types of BRCA tests that can be ordered; each looks for mutations at different sites along the genes.
I agree with Marie completely --- in order for your insurance company to pay for the genetic BRCA screenings they want to see at least two first or second degree (mother father sister brother grandparent etc) relative with cancer --- consider yourself lucky you are not in that situation.
Hi Bio_as,
If I understand your question, I think you are asking how cancer ends up in the left breast, right breast or both. I can only give you my opinion, but as a breast cancer survivor I had cancer in both breasts and I believe what cancer ended up in what breast was fate. I know I have a hereditary component (I'm positive for BRCA2), but as to where it occurs, I think it's fate or chance.
Ovarian cancer likewise is usually not hereditary, although having close relatives with either breast or ovarian cancer may increase your risk of having this disease. The above set of symptoms you mentioned could very well be signs of menopause. But if you're really worried about your condition, it wouldn't hurt to ask your doctor to have a pelvic ultrasound done, just to check for any uterine or ovarian masses.
After being adopted at birth, at the age of 30 I found out my genetics history after finding out my local waitress of over 15 years was my biological Aunt. It’s a crazy story but it saved my life. My biological mother had succumbed to the breast cancer that is as of now chemo and radiation resistant and goes from breast to brain and is hormone driven from what we know so far. We have six documented generations of women killed by it that did not have preventative double mastectomies.
A genetic counselor would review your personal cancer history and family medical history in detail and determine if your cancers fit into a hereditary cancer syndrome. In other words, a genetic counselor would try to determine if there is a relationship among your diagnoses and your family history of cancer. Knowing if there is a single cause to your diagnoses may help guide your cancer screening and provide you with information about risks for your family members.
( When you're a mama, all you want to do is to protect your babies.
Colon cancer can be extremely hereditary! My mother-in-law has 4th stage colon cancer and it was recommended to my husband and his sister to have a colonoscopy at 40 years old. He did and they found 1 small (3mm) sized tumor that was found to be pre-cancerous. His sister's result was clear. So, that's 50% chance right there. I agree with quinroxanne, be very vigilant! Good luck.
Is this type of thyroid cancer strongly hereditary? My father also has cancer, but his is a Liposarcoma. I feel like a walking time bomb! When I saw the surgeon before I knew my mothers diagnoses he said that there was a 50/50 chance that my largest nodule would have enough cells in the biopsy sample to be determinate. So, what would the next step be. If they biopsy would I even get a definate answer? Thanks so much for your time!
Most breast cancers are not hereditary. However, there are two breast cancer gene mutations, BRCA1 and BRCA2, that can be inherited and increase your chances of getting breast and/or ovarian cancer. Notice that this only increases your chances, and does not guarantee that you will get breast cancer.
The person to be tested is your mother. If your mother does not have the mutation, you do not have the mutation.
1) If the same person has both breast cancer and ovarian cancer, what are their chances of this being genetic vs. sporadic? (Looking for percentages here).
2) If this patient does have the BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 mutations, what are the chances that is has been passed on to me? (Looking for percentages here).
3) If I am later found to have the BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 mutation, how much does that increase my chances of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer in my lifetime?
Have you ever thought about being BRCA tested to see if you carry the Breast Cancer gene? My mother and grandmother both died of breast cancer and were carriers. My sister and I were also tested. My sister tested positive and I negative. My sister already had a double masectomy at age 29. It is worth looking into since you have a strong family history. Most insurance companies will pay for it.
s mother too had stage two breast cancer, and was given herceptin, but after four years, she was diagnosed with cancer, but it had already affected her lungs. It was too late. It is making me cry, i do not want to lose her. Please let me know, about survival rate, and recorrence rate. It is not hereditary.
I had it done and was BRCA negative, but have family hereditary cancer, ovarian, breast, melanoma, lymphoma, non hodgkins lymphoma, colon... yada yada yada. I know my risk is there.
Where the BRCA testing is extremely helpful is as a cancer patient, knowing your status with this may change some of the treatment options and surveillance options. Also, there are a lot of studies going on for these younger ladies and gentlemen with the mutations.
does anyone know what BRCA stands for....Breast Cancer....so the genetic mutation they are looking for is for breast cancer but have found that it can also be mutated in OvCa patients...but, this is not the only gene that can cause OvCa to be hereditary, they do not know the other genes yet.
They also say that the average age in being diagnosed with the disease is 61 and when it happens younger, there is more of a chance that it is genetic vs random.
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