Cancer Genetic Testing

[Mary Jo]

Good Morning Friends,

Well, I made the initial consultation appointment to meet with a Cancer Genetic Counselor. My insurance company will pay for the initial consultation and it sounded like if the "letter of medical necessity" makes it sound "necessary" my insurance will have no problem paying for it. The initial consult is scheduled for Nov. 28th.

After speaking with the Cancer Genetic Counselor on the phone yesterday I was a bit surprised though. I kept talking about the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene and she said, " well Mary Jo, Dr. Tina Yen (my surgeon) actually thought you could have a different mutation and she'd like that checked." And thinking back to a conversation I had with my surgeon a year back, I do remember her talking about my family history and the many different cancers and she thinking I could have some other mutation. I asked the "counselor" if I would be checked for BRCA 1 and 2 also and she said she didn't know what I'd be tested for at this point. First she meets to meet with me - get history etc. to determine if I'd even be a candidate for cancer genetic testing.

Yesterday I e-mailed an aunt of mine who knows everyone's history and she e-mailed a partial list of cancer's thus far. Wow! Two people with colon cancer, a great grandma diagnosed with rectal cancer at age 40 (thankfully I went in for my colonoscopy at age 47 - especially since pre-cancerous lesion was found), 2 breast cancer's - one of those died from the disease, kidney cancer and prostate cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer and my mom died at age 47 of pancreas cancer. Hmmmmmmmmmmm, wonder if I'll qualify for cancer genetic testing. So anyway........

Nothing really to share at this point but that I'm going to go through with it - IF - I quality. What got the ball rolling was my sis. She kept pursuing it - because she has 2 daughters. So, we'll see what comes of it.

I'll keep you posted.

Mary Jo

[Mary Anne in TX]

Well, Mary Jo, hats off to you for getting this going for you and your famiy. Oh, those pesky mutations. My family is also full of them. Some cancer, but mostly neurological stuff! What a gift you are giving. I believe that some day we will be able to turn this stuff around because of what we give today. When my mom died of PSP, I donated her brain for research. I made the decision months before we lost her, or I couldn't have done it. But after watching her suffer so much, I couldn't not help rid the world of one more "devil". I'll be anxious to hear more about your testing adventure and what you learn. Just keep that wonderful smile turned on high! mary anne