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Concerns about Breast Cancer Family History
Questions on genetics, family history & breast cancer.
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AskedPublicly Submitted Question
8/6/2010i was diagnosed at 39, er/pr - ,her 2+++, brca 1 and 2 -, stage one, node neg., angiolymphatic inv. present, but did fec chemo and herceptin -- hit it with everything in the arsenal!! i can tell my mom thinks she is at higher risk for getting breast cancer now because of me. like so many of us, there is no family history. i was told by onc. that my daughter will have a slightly elevated risk and will have to begin self-exams and mammograms at 29 (10 years prior to my diagnosis age), but she is basically has a similar risk factor we all do. what can i accurately tell my mom about her risks? i think she has been reading on the internet, which can scare you!!thanks so much!
RepliedJHU's Breast Center Reply
8/6/2010good you got genetically tested. and though no family history remember history has to start somewhere, right? so history begins with your diagnosis. there are going to be other genes in the future that we can't test for at this time. keep that in mind as well. your mother's risk is similar to that of your daughters. remember risk increases with age so your mom's may technically be a hair higher than your daughter's currently is. she should make her PCP and gyn aware of it.

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