Hello all, I am awaiting my results from my wle etc on Thursday so getting very nervous. On reading my notes, I saw that the doctors think it is possible that I have a genetic/inherited form of bc. What does this mean ? My mum had bc and her aunt but both are still well after 27 years. I am worried that this form of bc is more aggressive. Will I be offered preventative mastectomys ? MY wle went well and no extra tissue was taken except what they said they would take. I can handle treatment for bc but not the thought of dying young
Hi rachy7
I understand that you are worried about your results and the waiting is always a very difficult time.
I am sure you will receive lots of support and advice from other users on this issue, but in the meantime, I have given here a link to a factsheet published by Breast Cancer Care on the subject of familial breast cancer:
breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/familial_breast_cancer_updated_may_06_0.pdf
I do hope you find this useful.
Kind regards
Louise
Facilitator
Hi Rachy
I think one of the hardest challenges of having been diagnosed is the waiting for the official results. I am in exactly the same position as you. I had a WLE on Monday and now await the results. My mind has been racing about the what ifs and what next, did they find anything awful etc etc. I have been advised by those further up the line from me that crossing too many bridges at once is not helpful and very worrying. I would take comfort at the moment that even if you cancer is genetically linked, your mum and aunt survived many years after cancer and bear in mind that their treatment would be very much different to the treatment on offer today, so if they survived despite the modern technology, it would seem lvery likely that their cancer is not aggressive and therefore if inherited, yours may not be either. My mum had breast cancer and survived 15 years without recurrence and died of heart disease, nothing to do with cancer. Her treatment was so basic (radical mastectomy, no radiotherapy, no chemo, very little follow up etc) yet she was well. There are many women who survive breast cancer, unfortunately we mostly hear about those who don’t, so at the moment, the odds are stacked well in your favour, so hang on to that. That’s what I’m doing unless I hear differently next week!!
Cathy
x
Please let me kn
Hi Rachy
I had mast in Dec and something the pathologist saw inthe cells or how they were behaving etc made him strongly suspect I am going to carry the gene (he is not normally wrong). I have no family history of bc but have been referred to genetics. If I do have the gene, they will be strongly recommending I have the other breast off and ovaries out but if it stops me getting this disease again then I will get it done no problems.
Wishing you all the best
Love
Fiona
xx
Hi Rachy
It is also suspected I could have the gene as both my gran and aunt got BC then I developed low grade DCIS at 29. I have opted for a double mastectomy (due to my family history and also due to the fact I am very small chested (AA) as the excisional and reexcisional ended up taking about a quater of my breast away). I am to b refered to genetics and will decide on my ovaries once I get the results back from this. BTW my gran and Aunt have had no further problems and my aunt got it 10yrs ago and my gran 30. Let us know how ure results r, waiting is soooo tough.
Best wishes
M
x
Hi Rachy,
If your mum and aunt both had bc when they were premenopausal then that may be the reason doctors suspect it may be heredity. Genetic bc isn’t necessarily aggressive. I have a mutation of the BRCA 2 gene and my bc was low grade. I suspect your mum and aunts was also if there both well after all these years. Ask to be referred to a geneticist who will take a family history and assess your risk. If you do have a BRCA mutation then preventative mastectomies and oopheretomy should be offered to you.
Best wishes x
Inherited BC isn’t necessarily aggressive but typically it is hormone negative, but not always. I am BRCA1 with hormone positive.