BRCA1 and BRCA2 Testing

BRCA1 and BRCA2 Testing

Expert Quote

"Simply having a proven gene abnormality does not necessarily mean that a woman will develop breast cancer, or that her cancer will be any worse than cancer that does not stem from an inherited genetic flaw."

-- Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder, Breastcancer.org

Today I guess is another big day for me. I am going for what they call a BRCA test.  By now you would think I am medical smart in all these medical terms.  The first day I saw the oncologist he gave me a book about breast cancer and you, I read it right through within a hour.  And the question is do I understand what is happening? MM not really.. I have an idea but there is really just whole lot I have no clue.  Today I am going for the BRCA test that will help determine if I have a family history or gene of breast Cancer, if it is heredity since this will help determine the action for the future for me.  I understand that there are BRCA test One and Two, it can be an abnormal gene from either your father or mother and it will be important for my three daughters to have this information, because then I will have a much higher change of the cancer returning and it will properly be best for sure for me to have both breast removed.  I had several immediate relatives that had cancer and breast cancer. “Women with an abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene have about a 60% risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetimes (compared to 12-13% for women overall).”  It further increases the risk of ovarian cancer.   At this time I only have one ovary left when I was twenty one I had 3 cysts removed two from one ovary and then they removed that ovary and after that I had one ovary left and I developed a cyst of 10 cm on that ovary.  I had no children at the time and I remember the stress at the time and how our church that we pastured prayed and the gynecologist said you will not know until after the surgery if I will be able to save your ovary or not.  I so wanted children and that seemed to be such a final event at the time.  I tried for nearly two years then to get pregnant and all that happened was just one cyst after the other.  Many people and many churches prayed for me and God gave me a word I would have children it seemed like a mute situation at the time.  I would not know the outcome ant the possibility   But I can say today I woke up after that cyst removal and they saved one ovary and the nurse said you are ok.  You will be able to have kids.  I was ok from there forward I hold on to the promises of God.  We were blessed with four wonderful children through six pregnancies