Anyone BRCA1 or 2 that passed it on to the kids?

[Kimberly Lewis]

Hi all, just returned from a trip to NYC to go to a genetic counselor with my daughter. (dark haired girl in my avatar)

She also tested positive for BRCA2 and I was wondering if anyone had some sage words of advise for me? The counselor was wonderful, calming and encouraging. The news still was hard to hear. My sis and son both came up negative and I really had high hopes for Jessica too. I just hate that she has to be tested now for the rest of her life and she is only 25! sigh.... I take some comfort in the hope that she will never be diagnosed with locally advanced BC as I was. She should have early detection with these scans! I just know that the stress is hard to deal with and she will have it for a lot longer than I will!
thanks girls... Kim

[Mary Anne in TX]

Oh Kim, that's the pits! How scary that must be for you!
I surely do wish it weren't so. But she knows. Maybe she'll find some strength in just knowing and checking. It's not good, but I just have to believe that her world will be so different. That they will learn from us and keep fighting for a cure....yes a real cure!
She's lucky to have a mom who loves her so much.
ma

[tousled1]

Kim,

I'm so sorry that your daughter tested positive. But look at the bright side - at least she knows what her risk is and this should push her to have regular exams and follow-up. I know a woman I worked with who was also BRCA positive - her mother and her mother's sister had breast cancer. She opted to have a propolaptic (spelling?) double mastectomy and had no regrets. She did have reconstruction done immediately as she was a young woman at the time. I was fortunate that I tested negative. I only had the testing done because there was such a high incidence of both breast and ovarian cancer on both sides of my family. I wanted to make sure I didn't pass a gene on to my daughters. I'm negative so they are safe. But even with that my oncologist recommended that they start getting regular mammograms at age 30. They are now 30 and 31. My 31 year old had her first mammo last year and everything was ok.

[harrie]

My mother and her sister (my aunt) both experienced breast cancer starting in their early 40's. Last yr I was tested positive for BRCA2. My daughter and my 2 sisters were recently tested negative. My son has not been tested.

On the positive side for your daughter, many women get breast cancer at a young age and are not even carriers of the gene. She will be monitered so closely that even if the smallest of cancers are started they should be able to catch it early. My surgical oncologist, whose specialty is genetics, and who was the one who tested my daughter, told me of a family where the grandmother did not get cancer until she was in her late 80s and she had the BRCA gene.

Interesting, isn't it?

Remember, just because she has the gene is not a guarantee that she will get BC. Likewise, just because a person does not have the gene does not guarantee they will not get bc.

Maryanne

[Kimberly Lewis]

I really appreciate your comments - I know she is in good hands with a great Dr. who will really monitor her. Her attitude has been good also which really helps me. I know we would all rather our children are spared this but...
I will continue the good fight as long as it is possible with the support I get here. thanks, Kim