BRCA testing

I went in for my yearly pap smear today and talked to my gyno about when to start getting mammograms (I’ll be 35 next month). My maternal grandmother had ovarian cancer, but that is really the only cancer, thankfully, in my family.

My Dr gave me a script for a mammo and he’s having me come back in a couple weeks to do a sono on my uterus. He said if everything comes back clear then I probably won’t need to have another mammo till I’m 40. But he also mentioned the blood test for the BRCA gene. I told him I would think about it.

Have you been tested? I feel like I’m a bit on the hypochondriac side to begin with so this is making me crazy.

Re: BRCA testing

I was tested due to family history. My sister and I were negative, but my first cousin was positive. She already had a hysterectomy and is considering double mastectomy. (her mother also died of stomach cancer and she had started having issues gyn wise and her Dr. thought it was best to go ahead with the hysto) Her father just died from prostate cancer - he was also BRCA+. My grandfather died from pancreatic cancer which can come from carrying the BRCA Gene, but that was back in 1979 and they didbn't text for it then. he had sisters who died of ovarian cancer, so the assumption is this is where it came from in the family.

Do a search on this board. There were a few posts about it when I was getting it done and there were some helpful replies.

Message edited 1/18/2018 4:32:56 PM.

Re: BRCA testing

I'm on the fence about it. I really should get tested, part of me just doesn't want to know.

But, my mom died of uterine cancer, and a first cousin on my dad's side was just diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian - we are the same age and both never had children.

BRCA testing

Yes I was tested after I had a cancer scare shortly after my mom passed. My results were negative but if they had been positive I was going to have a double mastectomy. My great grandma, grandma and mom all died of breast cancer so I wanted to know.