| Cancer involves mutations, or changes, in genes. | | | | present. What other family members have/had |
| In most people affected by cancer, these genetic | | | | cancer and their relationship to you. When you |
| changes happen after birth later in life. In | | | | meet with a genetic counselor, they will go over |
| Hereditary Cancer, the cancer is caused by a | | | | your family's medical history and information. This |
| genetic mutation that the person was born with. | | | | will include first-degree relatives, such as your |
| Some cancers, such as breast, ovary and colon | | | | parents, siblings and children. second-degree |
| tend to be hereditary, but that doesn't mean that | | | | relatives like grandparents, aunts and uncles and |
| you will develop a cancer in one of these areas if | | | | your third-degree relatives or cousins. |
| you have an immediate family member that has | | | | Genetic testing can help a breast cancer patient |
| experienced the disease. Not all genetic mutations | | | | make decisions about types of treatment and |
| will develop into cancer, however, the mutation will | | | | follow-care. A woman with the one of the BRCA |
| increase the chance that the person will have a | | | | mutations may decide to have both breasts |
| higher risk of developing cancer. | | | | removed completely to help reduce the risk of |
| Only 10% of all breast cancer cases are thought | | | | reoccurrence. Having your healthy breasts or |
| to be hereditary. Some of the factors that | | | | ovaries removed to prevent cancer is called a |
| increase the occurrence of hereditary breast | | | | "prophylactic surgery" and many women who test |
| cancer are breast cancer before age 45, male | | | | positive for the genetic mutations decide to go |
| breast cancer, cancer in both breasts and many | | | | that route. They may just decide to take |
| cases of breast and/or ovarian cancer on one | | | | Tamoxifen to lower their risk. |
| side of the family. If you have two relatives from | | | | Not only can women take advantage of risk |
| the same side of your family with breast cancer, | | | | reduction techniques based on the results of their |
| your risk of getting the disease can be increased. | | | | genetic testing, there are also increased |
| However it does not mean that you will definitely | | | | surveillance tools that can help high risk individuals |
| get breast cancer. You also must keep in mind | | | | with early detection. Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
| that the risk for hereditary cancer can be passed | | | | (MRI) and ultrasound are two tools that can be |
| on from your mother or your father. You must | | | | combined with a mammogram to detect breast |
| look at both sides of the family. | | | | cancer in its most treatable stage. |
| The two hereditary mutations that are looked at | | | | Not every person who carries a genetic mutation |
| for breast cancer are BRCA1 and BRCA2. The | | | | will develop cancer. You must remember that |
| test for these two genetic factors are done by | | | | genetic testing does not detect breast cancer and |
| taking a blood sample. Both of these BRCA | | | | it will not tell you if you will get breast cancer in |
| mutations (BReast CAncer 1 and 2) are | | | | your lifetime. The decision to participate in genetic |
| associated with breast and ovarian cancers. | | | | testing is very personal and there is no right or |
| So what factors should you consider when | | | | wrong choice in making the decision to have it |
| thinking about genetic testing? The age and onset | | | | done. |
| of breast cancer. What other types of cancer are | | | | |