PLEASE HELP ME

[eonkshabonk]

All of the women on my fathers side of the family and I do mean ALL have had breast cancer it has been removed or is in remision , but it makes me worry. Am I destined to get it to?

[eonkshabonk]

Thank you so much , I just found all this out recently , some one brought it up so lightly like it was no big deal! It scared me I dont want cancer!! Alot of people think breast cancer is easier because you can cut off a breast , but I for one never want to fight ANY cancer. My mothers mother died of Lukemia as well!!!

[Lisa Kessler, MS, CGC]

It sounds like have a significant family history of breast cancer on your father’s side of the family.  In order to help understand the chances of inheriting an increased risk for breast cancer, I would recommend meeting with a genetic counselor who can provide a cancer risk assessment.  A genetic counselor will take a detailed family history of all cancer diagnoses, and provide risk estimates for the chances that a change in a breast cancer susceptibility gene such as BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 is causing the breast cancer in your paternal family history.  As you may have read, BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 are two genes associated with an increased risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.  The genes are inherited in an autosomal dominant way.  They can be passed equally to men and women.  Someone with a gene mutation in BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 has a 50% chance of passing it on to each child that they have, and a 50% chance of not passing it on.   Mutations in the BRCA genes are associated with increased risks to develop certain cancers including breast cancer.  

A genetic counselor will also explain who in the family is most informative to test first.  In general, if possible, it is best for someone who has been diagnosed with breast and/or ovarian cancer to have BRCA1/2 testing first.   Having genetic counseling does not obligate people to have genetic testing.   Your family can find a genetic counselor through the National Society of Genetic counselors, and companies like mine, DNA Direct, also provide genetic counseling for BRCA testing.