I am 58 and the youngest of 3 sisters. One sister passed away from breast cancer aged 54, my other sister was recently diagosed with BC aged 67. Her diagnosis was at very early stage following a mammogramag and treated by lumpectomy? with no further treatment required. I asked my GP re. possible family risk and genetic screening, however his advice was that the person with the diagnosis needed to make the request. My sister did so and was advised that referral criteria is that the affected person in the family needs to be under 40 yrs old, as the BRAC gene is one that is prevalent in young people. Also, more than one person in the family needs to have had breast or ovarian cancer. My sister has a daughter and 3 grand daughters so we want to find all we can about familial risk but don’t know where to go from here. Can you advise?
Dear Weemo
Sorry that you havent had a reply as yet.
I suggest that talking to one of our experts on our free Helpline may be an option for you? 0808 800 6000. Or alternatively you may prefer to post this question on the Ask Our Nurses area of the Forum where one of our nurses can respond to you online.In the meantime I am sure that someone will be along soon to share their own experience and offer support.
Best wishes
Anna
Digital Community Officer
Hi Weemo
my advice to you and your sister is to keep pushing for testing.
I am the youngest to 3, my mother had breast cancer twice, in her early 50s and again in her 70s and is she
Hi Weemo,
I hope you have found the information you were looking for.
My sister had the same response from her doctor in Hawaii. So on the search I went.
This is what I found. Plus, at the time I did this, I did not have insurance, I found the applicatiion on this web site for assistants in paying for the test we needed too.
Review the site in depth! It pays off in the end. My only regret, my sister, who needed the information for herself and her daughter did not recogize the effects and affects on me taking the test. Discuss with the family in depth.
Side note-I was the only one with this cancer. I could not pass on. Lets hope gentics is correct.
Good luck and keep me posted.
TS
myriad.com/patients-families/your-questions-about-disease/overview/
We are in a similar position. My mother had breast cancer aged about 74,my daughter has it aged 48 then I had it aged 76. My daughter has now been told she is at high risk of the breast cancer returning and may need genitive testing. We are anxious about the several girls in our family and the precautions they should take.
My grandmother died of BC, as did her sister and my mums cousin. I was told i was not high risk as i has no sisters with BC or aunts. The issue was i had no sisters! Or aunts! So of the 5 women who existed 3 died of BC.
I was then diagnosed with BC aged 48, so it rather proved my case. I am now being tested for the sake of my daughter.
My mum had to have the genetic test before they would test us (her daughters) she was 51 when she was tested. I am 30 and I had the genetic test taken once my mum had. Mine came back positive but my younger sisters was negative, my youngest sister is still awaiting her results.
Hope this helps x