I Wear Pink....
In my family, breast cancer is like a "bad word'. Of my mother's nine girls, three have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Two sisters are no long with us.
I Wear Pink because of my family history of breast cancer.
Instead of feeling sad, scared, or worried I choose to lean into understanding more about this disease, learn more about how I can reduce my risk, and teach my daughters to do the same.
The realization of three sisters with breast cancer has given me courage to go a step further—genetic testing. I am positive for the BRCA2 gene.
In addition to reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight, and daily exercise, there are additional precautions that must be taken.
The American Heart Association says this:
If you are at increased risk for breast cancer (for instance, because you have a strong family history of breast cancer, a known inherited gene mutation that increases breast cancer risk, such as in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, or you have had DCIS or LCIS), there are some things you can consider that might help lower your chances of developing breast cancer (or help find it early):
- Genetic counseling and testing for breast cancer risk (if it hasn’t been done already)
- Medicines to lower breast cancer risk
- Preventive (prophylactic) surgery
- Close observation to look for early signs of breast cancer
Your health care provider can help you determine your risk of breast cancer, as well as which, if any, of these options might be right for you.
Genetic counseling and testing
If there are reasons to think you might have inherited a gene change that increases your risk of breast cancer (such having as a strong family history of breast cancer, or a family member with a known gene mutation), you might want to talk to your doctor about genetic counseling to see if you should be tested. To learn more, see Genetic Counseling and Testing for Breast Cancer Risk.
If you decide to be tested and a gene change is found, this might affect your decision about using the options below to help lower your risk for breast cancer (or find it early)
Medicines to lower breast cancer risk
Prescription medicines can be used to help lower breast cancer risk in certain women at increased risk of breast cancer.
Medicines such as tamoxifen and raloxifene block the action of estrogen in breast tissue. Tamoxifen might be an option even if you haven’t gone through menopause, while raloxifene is only used for women who have gone through menopause.
Other drugs, called aromatase inhibitors, might also be an option for women past menopause. All of these medicines can also have side effects, so it’s important to understand the possible benefits and risks of taking one of them.
To learn more, see:
Preventive surgery for women with very high breast cancer risk
For the small fraction of women who have a very high risk of breast cancer, such as from a BRCA gene mutation, surgery to remove the breasts (prophylactic mastectomy) may be an option. Another option might be to remove the ovaries, which are the main source of estrogen in the body.
While surgery can lower the risk of breast cancer, it can’t eliminate it completely, and it can have its own side effects. For more on this topic, see Preventive Surgery to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk.
Before deciding if any of these options might be right for you, talk with your health care provider to understand your risk of breast cancer and how much these approaches might affect your risk.
Close observation
For women at increased breast cancer risk who don’t want to take medicines or have surgery, some doctors might recommend close observation. This approach might include:
- More frequent doctor visits (such as every 6 to 12 months) for breast exams and ongoing risk assessment
- Starting breast cancer screening with yearly mammograms at a younger age
- Possibly adding another screening test, such as breast MRI
While this approach doesn’t lower breast cancer risk, it might help find it early, when it’s likely to be easier to treat.
I Wear Pink because I am postive for the BRCA2 gene.
While a postive BRCA2 gene does not mean that I will automatically develop breast cancer, my choice of close observation will help to find breast cancer early, should it lie within my future.
Reach, treatment, and technology in treating breast cancer has come a long way since the 90's when my first two sisters were diagnosed. I aim to learn everything I can, take the necessary precautions, and share my experiences with others.
Resource: American Cancer Society