Forum Discussion

CMCE's avatar
CMCE
Member
3 years ago

GENE TESTING

Just a thought. If, like myself, you are diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer (Stage 2), wouldn't it make sense to have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene test done prior to any surgery? My radiation oncologist - seen a few weeks after surgery ordered the test prior to radiation treatment and now the results are holding that up. The frustrating part is... if I do have the gene, then radiation therapy is useless and I may need to consider a mastectomy! Would it not be much more prudent to have the testing done first in order to avoid "unnecessary" surgery and all that goes with it? The whole process has all felt quite rushed (although the team has been great throughout) and now this is adding to it all - potentially unnecessarily.
BRCA1-BRCA2
genetic-testing
results
  • cranky_granny's avatar
    cranky_granny
    Member
    3 years ago
    @CMCE my gene testing results took a while. But that was due to covid right at the first lockdown. 
    I didn’t get referred for it until mets were found. And the fact that 3 immediate  family members got cancer. Though they only tested for the BRCA gene and that came back negative. Onc says there’s obviously a  genetic fault running through the family but obviously further gene testing wasn’t approved. 
    Maybe I’m best off not knowing. 1 less thing to worry
    hope your results ate fine and radiation can go ahead sooner rather than later 
  • CMCE's avatar
    CMCE
    Member
    3 years ago
    Follow up... I just had a chat to the radiation oncologist and she said it is standard procedure to have the testing done following any lumpectomy... so wish me luck as I am hoping a) the test doesn't take too many more weeks b) that it's negative and c) that radiation can begin in a reasonable timeframe (8-12 weeks from surgery).