My mum has just been diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer over both breasts (found by screening) and we get more test results Friday. I have completed a form for Birmingham Womens Hospital for family genetic testing as my auntie also had breast cancer (chemo, lumpectomy, radiotherapy) aged 37.
I’m really anxious that there may be a family gene and had CIN3 pre-cancerous cells removed last year after a smear test. I’m worried about that I may have the gene and in turn my 18 month old daughter.
Can anyone that has been through the process be able to advise timescales and what happened? I confirmed they got my form and my mum is sending hers off Friday after her test results.
Will take ages… Your CIN3 is a completely separate issue to the breast cancers. I know it’s all ‘cancer’ but in reality most cancers are unrelated. What genetics will do is look at your mum and aunt first and test them for common breast cancer genes. If your mum has one, then they will offer you genetic screening, but they will talk to you first to make sure you understand the implications. The actual test is either a bloodtest or a swab from the inside of the cheek.
My mum sadly passed from breast cancer 6 years ago at the age of 48 she was 38 when first diagnosed. I went through the genetics clinic as she was so young 1st time round. They advised not enough family history to be gentic to be callback early last year as new reasrech/ testing was available. They tested my mums stored samples to find that she have the mutated brac2 gene so I was offered testing i gave a blood sample and 4 weeks later went back for the results. It turns out I also have the mutated brac2 gene. Despite being told 6 years ago it was not gentic once they found my mum carried the gene was positive the process was really quick. I was booked in for a mammogram before I even had my test. Since I have had the positive result I’ve not booked in for yearly mammogram and MRI scans to help detect early. I have 2 young daughter which can also have the gene which testing isn’t available until they turn 16. Its a very worrying time but knowing just means u can deal with things a little better and having regular checks puts your mind at rest. Having the conversation with my children is a whole different story but I have a few years before I need to prepare for that conversation.
Hope you get the answers your looking for and that it puts you mind at rest weather you decided to have the test once you hear back from the clinic.
I was tested through Birmingham back in 2005. The process took about 18 months because I was the first one in the family to be tested, and they didn’t know what mutation they were looking for, ‘trying to find a spelling mistake in a dictonary’ was what they said. When my results came through my siblings were tested and got their results in 4 weeks. My daughter has since been tested and her results came back very qucikly to. I found Birmingham to be very helpful and thorough; there counselling service is excellent though it dos take quite a time to get an appointment. I wouldn’t worry to much about the CIN3 pre-cancerous cells, as far as I’m aware this isn’t connected to BRCA cancers. Other cancers associated with BRCA are ovarian, prostate, pancreatic and melanoma so it might be worth doing some research into your family history.