Ovarian And Breast Cancer Counseling And Testing Not Offered According To Guidelines

[News]

A considerable number of doctors do not appear to offer ovarian and breast cancer counseling, as well as testing services to women at high risk, researchers from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) report in the journal Cancer. Females with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene have a much higher chance of developing ovarian or breast cancer compared to other women...

More... (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/231688.php)

[Jackie07]

I owe it to the sisters of this Board for learning these important issues related to hereditary cancer.

My oncologist did not think it was possible for me to carry the BRCA genes. He reluctantly agreed to order the test for me - turned out I did have a BRCA1 - Variant of Unknown Significance. Since there's not many reported cases of BRCA1-VUS, we put the report aside after talking to the genetic counslor who had assisted me with charting my family cancer history.

Less than a year after getting tested, the news of my 2nd Brother's undergoing colon cancer surgery and treatment alarmed me. Mother has already had surgery and chemo for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 1998 - there's an obvious cancer link in my family. An Internet research turned up a new acronym: HNPCC (Hereditary Non-polyposis Colon Cancer)

So I requested for a hysterectomy/oophorectomy. The surgeon's order listed "family and personal cancer history; BRCA1" as the reason for my prophylactic surgery.

After the surgery, I was told that there's sign of hyperplasia in my uterus already.

My lips are no longer peeling (dry skin on my lips have always been a sign of physical problem because inflammation raises body temperature) and my facial skin has also been improving (another sign of being healthy.)

I've also learned interesting historical facts (Marcia told me about the history of Jews in Kaifeng, China) that fit my family history.

Be sure to get tested for the BRCA genes... And learn as much as you can about your family [cancer] history.