My first post...
This discussion was created from comments split from: Your very first post.
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Hi @Nett19. To me you sound worried. And worry is exhausting and soul sapping. I think you should go have a check up to put your mind at rest if nothing else.
I was the third in my immediate family to have breast cancer. My sister had BRCA testing before she died from BC, which came out negative. I ended up having a panel of tests done from a vial of my spit which found a gene mutation. It's not the cause of the breast cancer as such, more an enabler. It also puts me at risk of a bunch of other cancers. I think forewarned is forearmed. The tests for these cancers are simple, with the exception of the colonoscopy. But I'd rather do that than have bowel cancer!
Talk to your adult kids before you have the test. Talk to health insurance companies, anonymously. Put it like this, are insurance issues enough to put off a clearer picture of your health?
If the answer is yes, then you should proceed with surveillance as if you do have a genetic issue. That way your bases are covered. Your adult kids should speak to their doctors about their decisions.
Head in the sand is deliciously appealing but ultimately I think life trumps insurance!
You didn't say if your cancer was estrogen receptor positive. Not all doctors are forthcoming about how this kind of cancer, even when caught & treated early, can come back 10, 15 even 20 years later for a statistically significant number of patients.
These decisions are deeply personal and there is no right or wrong. Ultimately you want to be fully comfortable with what you decide so there are no what ifs, or regrets, if the cancer returns.
You could call BCNA's helpline to have a chat with one of the wonderful, knowledgeable people who man the lines. That might give you more information. 1800 500 258.
Good luck with your decision. K xox
I was the third in my immediate family to have breast cancer. My sister had BRCA testing before she died from BC, which came out negative. I ended up having a panel of tests done from a vial of my spit which found a gene mutation. It's not the cause of the breast cancer as such, more an enabler. It also puts me at risk of a bunch of other cancers. I think forewarned is forearmed. The tests for these cancers are simple, with the exception of the colonoscopy. But I'd rather do that than have bowel cancer!
Talk to your adult kids before you have the test. Talk to health insurance companies, anonymously. Put it like this, are insurance issues enough to put off a clearer picture of your health?
If the answer is yes, then you should proceed with surveillance as if you do have a genetic issue. That way your bases are covered. Your adult kids should speak to their doctors about their decisions.
Head in the sand is deliciously appealing but ultimately I think life trumps insurance!
You didn't say if your cancer was estrogen receptor positive. Not all doctors are forthcoming about how this kind of cancer, even when caught & treated early, can come back 10, 15 even 20 years later for a statistically significant number of patients.
These decisions are deeply personal and there is no right or wrong. Ultimately you want to be fully comfortable with what you decide so there are no what ifs, or regrets, if the cancer returns.
You could call BCNA's helpline to have a chat with one of the wonderful, knowledgeable people who man the lines. That might give you more information. 1800 500 258.
Good luck with your decision. K xox