To Test...Or Not To Test

Yesterday I received some all around bad news, Gram has breast cancer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is early stage, we'll know more tomorrow.

In case you're not keeping score I am. My mom has breast cancer, both of my Grandmothers have or have had breast cancer along with assorted maternal Aunts. This raises the question for me of genetic testing for the Brca genes. As I've already spent a considerable amount of time pondering this I believe my answer is no.

I don't really see any value for me. I don't think that finding I have a mutation on this gene would be useful. With my family history I already have yearly mammograms (or sonograms as the case may be for me.) I'm losing weight, I've cut back on alcohol and don't smoke.

What else could I do? Well some women opt to have a preventive mastectomy. Ok, but this surgery isn't going to remove 100% of your breast tissue, so it doesn't guarantee you won't have breast cancer. But it does lower your risk by 90%.

The other new therapy for women who have this genetic mutation is chemoprevention. That's right, Tamoxifen for those who don't actually have cancer. Early studies show this lowers your risk by 49%.

With those numbers I can see why some women opt for the testing, and take these measures.

My *good* news is that none of the women in my family developed breast cancer before menopause.