Genetic testing

[bekama]

My daughter (39) has been diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy with all lymph nodes removed on her left side.  She is classed as grade 3, Stage 2.  Her chemo will start in ten days and radiation to follow.  She also had the genetic testing done a few weeks back.  The results were given to us Thursday.  Does that change her grade and or stage?  Will her chemo treatment change?  I know she will be having another mastectomy and ovaries removed later.  I also would like to know if my other 2 daughters and myself should be tested.  

If there is anyone with a similar situation, please respond. Thanks,   A very concerned Mama in Georgia.

[SueYoung55]

The most expensive BRCA test is for the original test that your daughter had done. Once a gene is found with mutation, further testing of yourself, your other children etc. is really much cheaper, between 300 and 500 through Myriad. I would absolutely get tested and I would also want my other children tested because of the increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer. I will strongly suggest that you and your daughter see a genetic counselor that is BRCA savvy because this information is very important and needs to be explained to you by an expert. It's sad but it sounds like the report was just sent to you with no explanation as to what it all means.

www.facingourrisk.org is a website that will give you alot of information about BRCA genetic mutations and also about hereditary cancers.

Knowing your BRCA status gives you the opportunity to do increased surveillance or to even choose to have prophylactic surgery which many women choose to do.  

God bless you both.

[bekama]

Thanks for your reply.  My daughters report reads "Positive for a deleterious mutation, BRAC2 sequencing, 802delAT, Deleterious.  Thanks again

[japdip]

I don't see that your daughter's treatment plan would change because of the BCRA1/2 results. You didn't state if she was + or - for the BC gene. The greatest effect would be to her daughters ..... they would need to be monitored much earlier than usually recommended as they would also be + if she tested positive. Grade and Stage only changes that effect the original tumor. You may also be + but I see no advantage to being tested and there are certain critera in order for Ins. to pay for genetic testing which is very expensive. Any change in her Chemo treatment would be at the discretion of her Oncologist if you have any questions regarding that issue.   Regards ....