Brac Analysis

LPack

I did have my check up today. My white count (had blood work this morning) is still too low for Hexalen on Monday, but will get blood work again Sunday. My doctor actually told me I am doing very well and could take the Hexalen the Monday after Thanksgiving as it is more preventive, so I asked if I was in remission and she said YES! PTL!

I did get my results from my Braca and I am positive for the BRCA2. So I will be telling my children, sister, brother and dad and making copies of the report so they can each have the Single Site BRACAnalysis if they so desire (each have a 50% chance of carrying the mutation).
So, that was the not so good news today. Praying none of them will have it and that it just stops with me!!

Of course, my chances of Breast cancer are now higher and recurrence of Ovarian higher. But who really wants to pay attention to those statistics, I'd rather leave it in the Lord's hands and beat the odds!!

In His Grip,
Libby

saundra

Sorry
Dear Libby, I am so sorry that you tested positive for this gene. Did you ask for the test? No one ever offered it to me. I will pray that your children are free of the mutation. Knowing is half the battle if they are positive for it. Will you have mammagrams more often because of this?

Good attitude for us all..."beating the odds".

(((Hugs and Prayers))
Saundra

BonnieR

Nice to know
Hi Libby, I am also a brca2 and it is nice to know. I do lots of women that are that have never ever had breast cancer. Me one of them. :-) Two of my kids have been tested and don't have the gene and one has not yet gone. Some people don't want to know. One sister has it and she had a hysterectomy as prevention. Glad to read you left it in the Lord's hands, best place for it. Hugs N Prayers Bonnie

LPack

saundra said:

Sorry
Dear Libby, I am so sorry that you tested positive for this gene. Did you ask for the test? No one ever offered it to me. I will pray that your children are free of the mutation. Knowing is half the battle if they are positive for it. Will you have mammagrams more often because of this?

Good attitude for us all..."beating the odds".

(((Hugs and Prayers))
Saundra

Test
Saundra,

My Onc/Gyn gave me the kit to take to my next blood work back in April. My insurance did pay for it after second request. I never even knew of it until she had mentioned it. I am to schedule an appointment with a consultant regarding this mutation. My daughter's gyn/ob already is aware of my cancer and that I was taking the test. She will be taking the Single Site test later.

As far as more mammagrams, my gyn gets all the info from my Onc/gyn so he will be aware. I imagine he will call me before I call him! Just had my mammagram in October and all was clear. Another Praise the Lord!!

In His Grip,
Libby

LPack

BonnieR said:

Nice to know
Hi Libby, I am also a brca2 and it is nice to know. I do lots of women that are that have never ever had breast cancer. Me one of them. :-) Two of my kids have been tested and don't have the gene and one has not yet gone. Some people don't want to know. One sister has it and she had a hysterectomy as prevention. Glad to read you left it in the Lord's hands, best place for it. Hugs N Prayers Bonnie

Your are right
Bonnie,

I really don't mind knowing. As for my daughter both her grandmothers died from breast cancer. And then me with Ovarian. She will be tested soon. I am sure the mutation will be from my mom. My dad is still alive and healthy (then again I had no clue I was sick!).

My sister will want to be tested too. She already has had an ultra sound and needs a second scan next month as it showed chambers in her cysts. Her CA125 was 17 which is normal. That just leaves all males - dad, brother and 3 sons. Don't know what they will do.

Anyways, all is good. Thanks for hugs and prayers.

In His Grip,
Libby

Dreamdove

only 10 percent genetic
I keep reading that it's only 10 percent genetic. My mother and her sister had breast cancer. I had ovarian cancer. But my cousin checked records from relatives who died before our time period and found some of the women died of breast cancer. I don't know of anyone who had ovarian cancer in our family. There were other types of cancer in the men. So I don't know if I would be quick to put too much store in those genetic tests. I have alot of cousins and none have gotten cancer even though most of us are in our 50s. I certainly would hate to think of my 2 daughters (ages 14 and 22) having to suffer from cancer. I wouldn't want them to feel afraid of that. So it is unlikely I would do any sort of genetic testing.

groundeffect

Has anyone heard of a guy being tested for BRCA?
Hi Libby,

Good news on the Hexalen!

I'm considering having genetic testing now, largely because it would give me an edge for prophylactic breast removal, should I be diagnosed with breast cancer. My family has its share of cancer that could be related to BRCA genetics, all coming from my dad's side. Each parent supplies 50% of the genes, so you can't just look to the mother's family history. My aunt had breast and colon cancer when she passed, and my first cousin (a woman) died of colon cancer in her 40's. My brother was diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was 52, and has had melanoma. All of these cancers can be connected to the BRCA defect, so testing should be considered for all the guys, too, although I've never heard of a guy having it done!

I ran into a friend at our cancer center one day when I was having chemo - her dad was being treated for metastatic breast cancer there, and didn't live long because he chose to ignore the symptoms he had.

One of the women in our support group tested positive, and when her sister wanted testing that her insurance company wouldn't approve, my friend took her medical file into a meeting with the insurer to argue the point. The test was approved, largely because of the mute evidence of the medical bills paid by another company. The sister was positive, also, and was able to have a prophylactic oopherectomy because of it.

LPack

groundeffect said:

Has anyone heard of a guy being tested for BRCA?
Hi Libby,

Good news on the Hexalen!

I'm considering having genetic testing now, largely because it would give me an edge for prophylactic breast removal, should I be diagnosed with breast cancer. My family has its share of cancer that could be related to BRCA genetics, all coming from my dad's side. Each parent supplies 50% of the genes, so you can't just look to the mother's family history. My aunt had breast and colon cancer when she passed, and my first cousin (a woman) died of colon cancer in her 40's. My brother was diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was 52, and has had melanoma. All of these cancers can be connected to the BRCA defect, so testing should be considered for all the guys, too, although I've never heard of a guy having it done!

I ran into a friend at our cancer center one day when I was having chemo - her dad was being treated for metastatic breast cancer there, and didn't live long because he chose to ignore the symptoms he had.

One of the women in our support group tested positive, and when her sister wanted testing that her insurance company wouldn't approve, my friend took her medical file into a meeting with the insurer to argue the point. The test was approved, largely because of the mute evidence of the medical bills paid by another company. The sister was positive, also, and was able to have a prophylactic oopherectomy because of it.

testing
Groundeffect,

My sister and daughter are both going to see if their insurance will cover it. We believe they will. My mom died from breast cancer. I have not told my dad about the genetic results.

I really figure if you have cancer, you probably do have some kind of mutation!!

We do have 3 sons.

Thanks,
Libby

Dreamdove

LPack said:

testing
Groundeffect,

My sister and daughter are both going to see if their insurance will cover it. We believe they will. My mom died from breast cancer. I have not told my dad about the genetic results.

I really figure if you have cancer, you probably do have some kind of mutation!!

We do have 3 sons.

Thanks,
Libby

Never thought about my son
Libby, I have a son also, as well as two daughters. I don't want them to live their lives being scared. It's supposed to be only 10 percent genetic. Everybody has cancer in their family. The kind of world we live in with all the pollution, chemicals, electronic and microwave effects (they are even talking about cellphones), it's not surprising there is so much cancer. I don't want my daughters to remove their ovaries or breasts to try to prevent cancer. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to get regular checkups. Though some say frequent x-rays can contribute to cancer. Who knows? My 14-year old daughter had her shots to prevent cervical cancer and now my 22-year old is thinking of getting them. I guess that's the best thing they can do at this point. One can look out for suspicious symptoms so that if there is cancer, it can be caught at the early stages. I had stage 3 but I am surviving.

groundeffect

LPack said:

testing
Groundeffect,

My sister and daughter are both going to see if their insurance will cover it. We believe they will. My mom died from breast cancer. I have not told my dad about the genetic results.

I really figure if you have cancer, you probably do have some kind of mutation!!

We do have 3 sons.

Thanks,
Libby

Don't want to be scary!
Hi Libby,

I guess I may have come off as to being a little gloom and doom - sorry. I've had six years to consider this now, and have had one breast biopsy that was non-conclusive, so that's another reason I started considering what I would do if presented with another cancer.

I've had yearly tests (pap and manual breast) since I was in my early twenties, had fibroids removed in my early 40's, and was fortunate to have my ovarian cancer found after I had a positive biopsy for uterine cancer. I realize I was very fortunate that the ovarian was such a low stage.

I think all people have some sort of mutation, not necessarily as obvious as cancer, but something, somewhere...

Hugs,

Sue

LPack

groundeffect said:

Don't want to be scary!
Hi Libby,

I guess I may have come off as to being a little gloom and doom - sorry. I've had six years to consider this now, and have had one breast biopsy that was non-conclusive, so that's another reason I started considering what I would do if presented with another cancer.

I've had yearly tests (pap and manual breast) since I was in my early twenties, had fibroids removed in my early 40's, and was fortunate to have my ovarian cancer found after I had a positive biopsy for uterine cancer. I realize I was very fortunate that the ovarian was such a low stage.

I think all people have some sort of mutation, not necessarily as obvious as cancer, but something, somewhere...

Hugs,

Sue

Not scary
Sue,

Not a problem. The way I look at it, my sons know what is going on, they are old enough to make a decision. My daughter is already going to be tested as both grandmothers died from breast cancer and I have ovarian.

My sister will also have the test. They both know the statistics and both want to go ahead and be tested. Neither want to go thru what I have. My daughter just had a baby and her and her husband have a 4 year old and 3 year old. My sister has 2 married children and 2 still in high school.

I am praying that the mutation stops with me and that my sister does not have it. I do have a consultant that I can make an appointment with in Pittsburgh about my results, but I really don't even know if I am going to go. I am praying about that too.

Have a great Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful.............

Love,
Libby

kris43

LPack said:

Not scary
Sue,

Not a problem. The way I look at it, my sons know what is going on, they are old enough to make a decision. My daughter is already going to be tested as both grandmothers died from breast cancer and I have ovarian.

My sister will also have the test. They both know the statistics and both want to go ahead and be tested. Neither want to go thru what I have. My daughter just had a baby and her and her husband have a 4 year old and 3 year old. My sister has 2 married children and 2 still in high school.

I am praying that the mutation stops with me and that my sister does not have it. I do have a consultant that I can make an appointment with in Pittsburgh about my results, but I really don't even know if I am going to go. I am praying about that too.

Have a great Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful.............

Love,
Libby

BRCA
I was tested for the BRCA gene also and came back negative for both 1 and 2, meaning I'm one of the "lucky" ones that are in the 1.7% that get ovarian cancer just because. I also have a family history of breast cancer on my mothers side. I went to a genetic counselor within the first 2 weeks of being diagnosed. My oncologist and I discussed having the prophylactic mastectomy done if I was positive. The only reason I waited until April of this year to get tested was because my insurance had said no - it costs $3,400 - so my friends had a benefit to raise the money so I could get it done.

I did it not only for myself, but for my son - who if I were positive, had a 50% chance of passing it on to his future children, for my sister, for my nieces.

Some people absolutely want to know, some don't want the knowledge. It's a really personal decision I think.

Kris

Unknown

This comment has been removed by the Moderator

BonnieR

unknown said:

This comment has been removed by the Moderator

brca2 also
I am brca2 also and have never heard it affects the treatment plan your Doc has for you. I know women both brca2 adn not and we have all been on the same regimens. That is a new thought to this old brain. I wonder what your dr does different? Just curious

Unknown

BonnieR said:

brca2 also
I am brca2 also and have never heard it affects the treatment plan your Doc has for you. I know women both brca2 adn not and we have all been on the same regimens. That is a new thought to this old brain. I wonder what your dr does different? Just curious

This comment has been removed by the Moderator