How do you feel about the test that can tell you if you have the breast cancer gene?!
Question: How do you feel about the test that can tell you if you have the breast cancer gene.?
alot of peple have mixed opinions of this test. I come from a family where breast cancer has hit a lot of close relatives, including my mother, and ive been debating whether to get the test or not. Please leave your opinions.Health Question & Answer
Answers:
Has your mother been tested.? That would be the most appropriate course - to find out if her breast cancer was due to one of the two rare faulty genes known to be responsible for hereditary breast cancer, or whether it was random and non-hereditary like 90+% of breast cancer cases.
If your mother carries one of the faulty BRCA genes, you have a 50% chance of having inherited it. If she doesn't, nor do you. If you inherited it, your chances of breast cancer would be 50 - 80%
If it turns out your mother's breast cancer was hereditary - in your shoes I would get tested. There are of course arguments for and against.
The advantages would include knowing, if you test negative, that you probably have the same risk of breast cancer as the majority of the population.
If you test positive, then you have the opportunity to consider options such as prophylactic mastectomy, or taking Tamoxifen. You would know to be extra vigilant about your breast health.
The disadvantages would seem to be that if you tested positive you might suffer from anxiety; if you tested negative you could possibly have a false sense of security - two BCRA genes have been identified, but there may well be others.
But as I said - if one of my parents carried one of the faulty genes, I'd want to know if I did.Health Question & Answer
If your mother carries one of the faulty BRCA genes, you have a 50% chance of having inherited it. If she doesn't, nor do you. If you inherited it, your chances of breast cancer would be 50 - 80%
If it turns out your mother's breast cancer was hereditary - in your shoes I would get tested. There are of course arguments for and against.
The advantages would include knowing, if you test negative, that you probably have the same risk of breast cancer as the majority of the population.
If you test positive, then you have the opportunity to consider options such as prophylactic mastectomy, or taking Tamoxifen. You would know to be extra vigilant about your breast health.
The disadvantages would seem to be that if you tested positive you might suffer from anxiety; if you tested negative you could possibly have a false sense of security - two BCRA genes have been identified, but there may well be others.
But as I said - if one of my parents carried one of the faulty genes, I'd want to know if I did.Health Question & Answer
I think I would get tested, and if I had the gene I would consider a preventative mastectomy. But it's very much a personal thing. You should consider what you will do if it is positive - if you can't face the idea of a mastectomy, then it may not be worth having the test.
It's also worth finding out whether you can receive mammograms regularly due to your family history. These are available to people with a 'breast cancer gene' in order to catch any tumours early, but might also be available to you without being tested for the gene.
And of course, be sure to check your breasts once a month for lumps - this is best done in the middle of your cycle, usually while in the shower or bath, as the water allows you to feel lumps more easily.Health Question & Answer
It's also worth finding out whether you can receive mammograms regularly due to your family history. These are available to people with a 'breast cancer gene' in order to catch any tumours early, but might also be available to you without being tested for the gene.
And of course, be sure to check your breasts once a month for lumps - this is best done in the middle of your cycle, usually while in the shower or bath, as the water allows you to feel lumps more easily.Health Question & Answer
I think getting an expensive test for the sake of being tested is a waste of time and money. Only 5% of breast cancers are hereditary and if your mother
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