Possible clues in family history for bc

[AlaskaAngel]

http://www.medwire-news.md/46/67741/...inherited.html

I have wondered many many times why health care providers ask whether we have other family members with a breast cancer history, but don't collect any information as to the length of survival for those family members. I posted this question along similar lines back in December, 2005:

"I had an appointment this week with an onc this week who specializes in bc and genetics, since I have a significant family history that includes ovarian cancer as well. The family history includes the aunt who died of ovarian cancer and another aunt who died of bc mets to the brain.

I find it puzzling that the onc thinks I should consider having my ovaries removed (due to the difficulty in detecting ovarian cancer, considering that the risks for that increase with age), but had no recommendations about the identical family history of an aunt with brain mets from bc, considering that I am HER2+++. It would be my thought that brain mets is equally difficult to discern."

I realize that it likely would be futile to consider removing the brain (!) in the case of the mets, but to me the fact of the aunt dying of bc mets to the brain may be a helpful indicator for someone like me to be monitored more closely for brain mets. I asked the onc about it and she dismissed the question and said there was no similar correlation for brain mets as there is for ovarian cancer. This study makes me wonder if health care providers should be asking each of us not only about survival of family members, but also noting whether a family member died of bc mets to the brain.

AlaskaAngel