Common Bond & Our Genetic Testing

[Sheila]

As many of you know, my Mother had breast cancer, as well as a maternal cousin, myself, my youngest sister, and now a paternal cousin. My mother passed away from a new primary liver cancer a year ago. Needless to say, there has been a whole lot of testing going on, to see if there is a common link or gene....here are the results...

Mom - ER+ PR +, Her2 testing not done 24 yrs ago
Me - ER- PR- , Her2 +++ BRCA 1 & 2 Neg
M. Cousin - ER+, PR+, Her2 not done 17 years ago.
Sister - Triple Neg tumor and Triple Positive Tumor, BRCA 1 & 2 Neg
P. Cousin Triple Positive tumors (both sides) BRCA 1 & 2 NEG

So, we share some link, just unknown at this time....on the bright side, my sister finished her chemo last week and now is on Herceptin solo for the next 9 months...we were able to go together and get treated together her last chemo...which was special as she is every 3 weeks and me every 2....I am so happy she has completed her chemo and with very little side effects...she worked the entire time....must be her youth!

[Ellie F]

Sheila
Are you suspecting that her 2 is the common factor even though I know years ago they didn't test? Most of your other relatives seem to be ER+ and PR+ except you, who like me are negative .
My understanding from Dr Slamon lectures is that her 2 is NOT genetically transmitted, is this your understanding as well?
These things are never simple.
Always good to hear from you.
Ellie

[Kellennea]

Interesting.

My maternal grandmother was dx with breast cancer at age 82 - triple neg.

I was dx with triple pos. BRCA 1 & 2, negative.

One of my maternal aunts was just dx with triple pos. no BRCA testing as of yet.

[karen z]

Sheila,
So happy to hear that your sister is done with chemo and now only on Herceptin. This is very good news.
Thank you for posting the picture of you and your sister. It is very moving. I look forward to the day when breast cancer is only talked about in medical history books. Best, karen

[Soccermom]

Sheila, so glad your sister is done with regular chemo. I hope the year has flown by for her!!
I'll add what I know about our genetics..
Mom 1990 Er/Pr +
1996 Er/Pr + Her2-
2000 mets ?? BRCA 3 panel - in 2005
Aunts (3) unknown hormone and Her 2(no one could remember( or wanted to ;)?. 1972-2003) no BRCA testing
Cousin 2 separate primary's (BRCA 1)
Inherited mutation from her Dads side of family

Gentle loving hugs to you!
Marcia

Me 2002 tested 3 panel negative
DX 2004 Er/Pr + Her2+++
2005 retested, full sequencing , Brca- ( BART not available until 2006 and $700 out of pocket :(

[Becky]

Me -ER +/PR-, Her 2+++
Mom - ER+/PR+, Her2 neg
Aunt 1 - was not hormone positive but Her2 not done then
Aunt 2 - was on tamoxifen so must have been hormone positive but Her2 not done then
Cousin - ER+/PR-, Her2 neg
Sister - dcis only but highly hormone positive - did not run Her2 on dcis

Aunt 1 and Aunt 2 never got tested. Mom and Sister were BRCA and Bart tested negative. I only was BRCA negative tested - want to do BART to be sure. Cousin was BRCA tested negative. Cousin, sister, mom and me all started out with non-existant Vitamin D levels.

Aunt 1 died from the disease. Aunt 2 died from old age (87). Everybody else is alive and kickin'