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Gene mapping question.

Cancer Gene Question, Tests?

  • I'm now 15 and my gran died of breast cancer. I know that breast cancer can be carried by a gene. I also read that you have to have at least 2 people in family that have/had it. I think that it's only 1 in my family but I want to know if I can ask my GP if I can get tested because I found out that it can be carried by a gene about 2 years ago and since then I have been a bit anxious about it and I would really like to know if I'm carrying that gene. Although some people say that my life my get ruined if I find out but I really want to because I like to know where I'm standing and I know for a fact that whether I have it or not will not ruin my life. So I just want to know if I could get a gene test at my age. Thanks for your help..

  • Answer:

    What Takkari said About 1-2 in 20 cases of breast are caused by a faulty gene- most commonly BRCA1 and BRCA2. Breast cancer linked to these faulty genes usually develop when people are in their 30s or 40s. So it's less likely your grandmother had this type of cancer. However, if is worth having a chat with your doctor if three close relatives from one side of the family develop breast ca- at any age. Most cases of breast cancer are not due to an inherited faulty gene. When someone close to us dies, it makes us think of our own mortality. Try not to get too hung up on this.

Amyy Davies at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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If your grandmother had breast cancer in the last 15 years they would have told her if it was the genetically relate form (less than 10% are). If she was over 50 when diagnosed it is even more unlikely it was the genetic form. If it was the genetically related form, your parent had a 50% chance of inheriting it. If they inherited it, then they have a 50% chance of passing it on. Given we don't know if your grandmother had the genetically linked form this means you fave a 2.5% chance of having inherited the gene from your grandmother. By being female you have a 12.5% risk of breast cancer. Unless you plan to do something with the knowledge (like having a double mastectomy) why would you bother spending thousands of dollars on a test for something you are unlikely to have?

Tarkarri

The BRCA test is not the end-all be-all. Not everyone who gets breast cancer has the genetic defect. I had no cancer in my family, tested negative, and had a stage 3 b.c. at 37. It is only done at one lab in the country, it is about $3000, and not all insurance covers it. Not all b.c. patients even take it. At your age, don't even worry about it. You're causing yourself stress over nothing, and even if you are destined to get cancer (which is very unlikely), there's nothing you can do about it now. A double mastectomy is a possibility, but you won't find a doctor who will do that for you at age 15. Sorry about your grandmother, but stay positive and don't fret about cancer.

Flatpaw

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