I have a question????

Boppy_of_6
Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have a friend who is dealing with a possible recurrence, she is an 11 yr survivor. She had a diagnostic mammo and has seen her Onc. he thinks all is well but wants her to see a surgeon and a geneticist. She was 37 at first dx. She has 1 aunt on her Mom's side of the family that had BC years ago (she is alive and well)!! My question is does paternal family history matter as much as maternal? I honestly have never thought of it. I know men can get BC and know one family that the Dad and daughter both have been dx. She was asking because there is not much of her Dads family still left, the few that are she has no contact with. I appreciate anyone's thoughts on this. God Bless
(((Hugs))) Janice

Comments

  • Chickadee1955
    Chickadee1955 Member Posts: 356 Member
    #2
    I think the paternal
    I think the paternal genetics are just as important as the maternal. My friend has two daughters, both of which have had BC; one passed away at 38 years of age. She has no cancer on her side of the family, but the girls' grandmother on their father's side did have BC. Genes are genes, I think, no matter which side they come from.

    Chickadee
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #3
    Chickadee1955 said:

    I think the paternal
    I think the paternal genetics are just as important as the maternal. My friend has two daughters, both of which have had BC; one passed away at 38 years of age. She has no cancer on her side of the family, but the girls' grandmother on their father's side did have BC. Genes are genes, I think, no matter which side they come from.

    Chickadee

    Thanks Chickadee
    That was my thought but she was thinking it was not as important. I agree genes are genes. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • KayNYC
    KayNYC Member Posts: 495 Member
    #4
    my understanding is that both sides are important
    BRCA + genes can be inherited from mother or father.
    Hugs,K
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #5
    KayNYC said:

    my understanding is that both sides are important
    BRCA + genes can be inherited from mother or father.
    Hugs,K

    Paternal family history DOES matter!
    My father only has two sisters, and both are breast cancer survivors. Both were diagnosed about 6 years ago. I have no family history of any cancer on my mother's side.

    All along, my OB/GYN told me this did not increase my risk, because they're not first-degree relatives, and because they're on my father's side.

    After I was diagnosed last year, I saw an oncologist who's a breast cancer specialist, who told me that was hogwash. Even though we've all been tested, and we're all BRCA negative, she said that it seems clear to her that I probably inherited something genetic from my father's side of the family, perhaps a gene that just hasn't been discovered yet.

    I think it's very possible (this is just my speculation) that a man can carry this undiscovered gene and pass it down to his daughter, while never getting breast cancer himself, because his body doesn't have as much estrogen as a woman's.

    Traci
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #6
    Chickadee1955 said:

    I think the paternal
    I think the paternal genetics are just as important as the maternal. My friend has two daughters, both of which have had BC; one passed away at 38 years of age. She has no cancer on her side of the family, but the girls' grandmother on their father's side did have BC. Genes are genes, I think, no matter which side they come from.

    Chickadee

    I don't really know, but, I
    I don't really know, but, I think anymore that a family history doesn't matter. It seems most on here are the first to have bc.


    Hugs, Kylez
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #7
    Janice
    Both sides are important. I had the BRCA I & II testing done. I was negative. I was the 5th on my mother's side with bc and I also had 2 aunts on my paternal side with bc.
    Char
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #8
    cahjah75 said:

    Janice
    Both sides are important. I had the BRCA I & II testing done. I was negative. I was the 5th on my mother's side with bc and I also had 2 aunts on my paternal side with bc.
    Char

    Traci is correct as usual. I
    Traci is correct as usual. I tested negative for the genes as well. But going to a family reunion I discovered a line of relatives on my father's side with breast cancer. Including ? a male relative. However the history is unclear, but the line in unmistakable. The paternal history is just as significant and can be even stronger if there is a male relative. I feel having had it twice at an early age that some undiscovered gene got activated. I will be seeing a geneticist again because new testing is available. Nobody on my dad's side that I know has been diagnosed even those with it on both sides, just lucky me!
  • juanita76
    juanita76 Member Posts: 22
    #9
    Yes the paternal is as
    Yes the paternal is as important because i got my bc frm my aunt on my dads side even though she refuses to believe tht my i tested positive for the gene test and the dr said i got it frm her
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #10
    juanita76 said:

    Yes the paternal is as
    Yes the paternal is as important because i got my bc frm my aunt on my dads side even though she refuses to believe tht my i tested positive for the gene test and the dr said i got it frm her

    Thank You all
    I knew I would get great answers and support from all of you. I am sure the geneticist will go into more detail with her on all of this. Thanks again. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #11
    Boppy_of_6 said:

    Thank You all
    I knew I would get great answers and support from all of you. I am sure the geneticist will go into more detail with her on all of this. Thanks again. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice

    Yes, Thank you all ...
    Interesting subject matter ...


    Vicki Sam

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