risk for daughter

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Becky20
Becky20 Member Posts: 8
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I was diagnosed when I was 41, and had been having mammograms since I was 23, because 2 aunts and an uncle had breast cancer. My daughter is 23, and we have not yet been able to convince Kaiser she should have a mammogram. Their argument is that at her age, her breasts are too dense, and she needs to wait. but---after reading "Uplift" I was amazed at how many women in their 20's had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Anyone out there with a similar problem? Thanks!

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  • hummingbyrd
    hummingbyrd Member Posts: 950 Member
    #2
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    Hi Becky, welcome to the site, sorry for the delayed response, we are usually quick to welcome a 'partner in crime.' We've all been sortof 'up in arms' over site changes (if you hadn't noticed). I'm 41 also, diagnosed at age 38, not as young as your daughter, but still under 40 AND no risk factors. Aren't HMO's wonderful($gag$), it's all about money. I know of quite a few women who had prophelactic mastectomy's done. You might consider taking her to a regional cancer institution where they do research. It's possible...I think for them to do gene mapping on her to see if she has defect(s) in DNA that will predispose her to cancer. You might even get in a trial study for free! Wishfull thinking and power of prayer. I'd also suggest you do some research go to cancer.gov or www.nih.gov (I think its gov) medline or webMD and look up articles on current recommendations. Print them out if they rec what you want and go shake them under Kaiser's nose (I'm guessing that's an HMO). Tell them if something isn't done you'll hold them responsible for negligent treatment! Or you can get MD to write order for mammo and pay for it yourself. It's about $400 and I strongly rec a CAD mammo (Computer Aided Detection) helps MD pick up about 15-20 cases that are otherwise missed! Hope this helps. God bless. hummingbyrd
  • Becky20
    Becky20 Member Posts: 8
    #3
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    hummingbyrd said:

    Hi Becky, welcome to the site, sorry for the delayed response, we are usually quick to welcome a 'partner in crime.' We've all been sortof 'up in arms' over site changes (if you hadn't noticed). I'm 41 also, diagnosed at age 38, not as young as your daughter, but still under 40 AND no risk factors. Aren't HMO's wonderful($gag$), it's all about money. I know of quite a few women who had prophelactic mastectomy's done. You might consider taking her to a regional cancer institution where they do research. It's possible...I think for them to do gene mapping on her to see if she has defect(s) in DNA that will predispose her to cancer. You might even get in a trial study for free! Wishfull thinking and power of prayer. I'd also suggest you do some research go to cancer.gov or www.nih.gov (I think its gov) medline or webMD and look up articles on current recommendations. Print them out if they rec what you want and go shake them under Kaiser's nose (I'm guessing that's an HMO). Tell them if something isn't done you'll hold them responsible for negligent treatment! Or you can get MD to write order for mammo and pay for it yourself. It's about $400 and I strongly rec a CAD mammo (Computer Aided Detection) helps MD pick up about 15-20 cases that are otherwise missed! Hope this helps. God bless. hummingbyrd

    Thanks for your quick and thorough response! I'll research the sites you suggested, and check into the gene mapping. I'm ready to pay for that mammogram myself, but it ticks me off...preventive medicine is so much cheaper than treating the major problems caused by cancer that's caught much later! Arghhh! Yes, Kaiser is an HMO. (I'm sure you're shocked.) More later after some research. Thanks again.
    Becky
  • isaiah4031
    isaiah4031 Member Posts: 240
    #4
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    Hi,
    I had no family history of cancer, and I also go to Kaiser. My daughter is 21 and my doctor said yes, she should have screening mammograms now and she was entitled to them. They said that even though she was young and had dense breasts, it still should be done. I would be insistent. Let me know how it goes.
    Jayne
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398
    #5
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    Yes we are quicker. Just wanted to say that I know a woman who has had mastectomies and still had breast cancer since they can't get all the cells. Yes having profilactic mastectomies does minimize the risks. I was 36 and doctors assured me it wasn't cancer then 8 months later I have to convince doctors in another province that I was let alone had cancer. I think they have a point about the breast denseness. They have studies that prove that having mastectomies really doesn't help in early detection or so they say. I found my lump first, then they wouldn't diagnostic test of any kind since I wasn't sick showing definite signs they could measure. All blood work clear the list goes on. One checks themself and really watches themself so that any changes can be address immediately not trying to rationalize them like we always do. I could find all sorts of reason why I could be sick so had to get worse, not being able to work anymore.
    One has to watch stress cause that is a big one and I believe that, taking care of ourselves first must be the task.
    Be good to yourself,
    Tara
  • Becky20
    Becky20 Member Posts: 8
    #6
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    24242 said:

    Yes we are quicker. Just wanted to say that I know a woman who has had mastectomies and still had breast cancer since they can't get all the cells. Yes having profilactic mastectomies does minimize the risks. I was 36 and doctors assured me it wasn't cancer then 8 months later I have to convince doctors in another province that I was let alone had cancer. I think they have a point about the breast denseness. They have studies that prove that having mastectomies really doesn't help in early detection or so they say. I found my lump first, then they wouldn't diagnostic test of any kind since I wasn't sick showing definite signs they could measure. All blood work clear the list goes on. One checks themself and really watches themself so that any changes can be address immediately not trying to rationalize them like we always do. I could find all sorts of reason why I could be sick so had to get worse, not being able to work anymore.
    One has to watch stress cause that is a big one and I believe that, taking care of ourselves first must be the task.
    Be good to yourself,
    Tara

    Hi, Thanks for your reply. My cancer was intraductal. I'd had 4 lumps removed over a 10 year period (all benign), and it was a surprise when the radiologist didn't like what she saw on the mammogram. Lots of calcifications. That led to a biopsy, and bilateral mastectomy. Anyway, re: my daughter---she's a type A super stresser like me. Hasn't had lumps, but I'd like to convince the docs to do a baseline screening. They keep refusing til she's older. Any research out there I could hit them with??? Thanks again.
    Becky
  • Becky20
    Becky20 Member Posts: 8
    #7
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    isaiah4031 said:

    Hi,
    I had no family history of cancer, and I also go to Kaiser. My daughter is 21 and my doctor said yes, she should have screening mammograms now and she was entitled to them. They said that even though she was young and had dense breasts, it still should be done. I would be insistent. Let me know how it goes.
    Jayne

    Hi Jayne, Did your primary care doc OK the mammogram for your daughter? If not, who did? Were they able to get good pix? I will keep hounding them,but would love some research that would lend weight to my case. Thanks. Becky
  • ksfc
    ksfc Member Posts: 251
    #8
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    My sister is part of a risk assessment program because of my cancer and even with dense breasts they recommend mammograms, but they follow it up with ultrasound because they say that's more accurate for younger women. They said that my daughter should start mammograms 10 years before the age at which I was diagnosed.

    Peace - Diane
  • jeancmici
    jeancmici Member Posts: 665 Member
    #9
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    Becky,

    A fact onlu whispered at times is that mammograms contribute ever so slightly to getting breast cancer. Perhaps getting mammograms from the age of 23 caused you to get cancer at 41 instead of 61 or not at all. Aunts and uncles don't count in family history - it's mothers, sisters, brothers, and fathers.

    Perhaps it would be better to just have your daughter aware of how her breasts feel and check it out should there be any suspicious lump, pain, puckering of skin etc.

    Mammograms squeeze and sometimes bruise the breasts at the same time that they are receiving radiation - slight risk but starting in one's 20's ?? Think about it.

    Jean (who blames the Premarin and maybe lots of mammograms from age 50 on also.)
  • maggs
    maggs Member Posts: 164
    #10
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    jeancmici said:

    Becky,

    A fact onlu whispered at times is that mammograms contribute ever so slightly to getting breast cancer. Perhaps getting mammograms from the age of 23 caused you to get cancer at 41 instead of 61 or not at all. Aunts and uncles don't count in family history - it's mothers, sisters, brothers, and fathers.

    Perhaps it would be better to just have your daughter aware of how her breasts feel and check it out should there be any suspicious lump, pain, puckering of skin etc.

    Mammograms squeeze and sometimes bruise the breasts at the same time that they are receiving radiation - slight risk but starting in one's 20's ?? Think about it.

    Jean (who blames the Premarin and maybe lots of mammograms from age 50 on also.)

    My tumor markers go up anyway, but after scans, they seem to take a leap. And after iodine plus scans, they took a bigger leap! Do you know why this might be?

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