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Concerns about Breast Cancer Family History Questions on genetics, family history & breast cancer. |
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| 12/19/2011 | I am a 38 year old female. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985 at age 30, had a double mastectomy and died 2 years later. Since then, two of her first cousins (her father's sister's children) have been diagnosed, one at age 28 and the other at age 31. They are both still living. Over the last year I have been having a lot of health problems and having a lot of issues with my left breast, armpit/shoulder, and lower throat-sternum collar bone areas.I've had mammograms but nothing shows up. I have an elevated sed rate 77,44,34-elevated CRP 18.5, 21.1 and have been tested for everything under the sun I believe. They still can't figure out what is wrong. My question is should I be concerned about the breast cancer possibility because of the strong family history. Of note, other risk factors started menses at age 10, 6 miscarriages no live births, overweight, have never breast fed. Should my genetics lead me to seek out further testing for the possibility I do have breast cancer? I just know time is of the essence and I honestly feel something is there that isn't suppose to be. | ||
| Replied | JHU's Breast Center Reply | ||
| 12/19/2011 | Whether having symptomatic problems with your breasts or not, its time to look into genetics. this is a significant family history and given the ages of those diagnosed the possibility of your family having a gene is quite high. see if eitherof your cousins as gotten genetically tested yet or not as ideally its best to begin with testing someone who has had the disease and is still alive. inquire too about a breast MRI if mammo and ultrasound didn't answer the cause of your current symptoms. | ||
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