I had it, but please spare my sister

san4850

I was diagnosed in November 2006 at age 41.  Now my sister found a lump, had a biopsy last Thursday and is waiting for the results.  The radiologist told her it doesn't look good because he also did a biopsy on a lymph node he felt was swollen along with the lymph gland leading to it, and told her it was highly unlikely for 2 premenopausal sisters who aren't twins to get b/c (she's 40), like it's never happened before.  The only link we have is our aunt (dad's sister), who had it in 1986, and today she is fine.  Suzanne Somers and her sister had it (although I think they were post menopausal, or at least perimenopausal).  Also on the Mayo Clinic site under patient stories, a Mayo doctor was 1 of 4 sisters, and she got it along 2 other sisters (the lucky sister who didn't get it decided to get a bi-lateral mastectomy because of the others) and their mother also got it.  Heather Farr (a All-American golfer at Arizona State University in the 1980's) died from it at age 28, and her sister Missy Farr-Kaye was first diagnosed at 30 and today at 40 just got diagnosed with a recurrence (I think it's a local recurrence) after having a bilateral mastectomy.

If my sister's turns out to be malignant, I say it's just a coincidence.  I'm BRCA negative.  As much as I've learned about b/c (I could earn a Ph.D. in the subject), I'm having trouble trying to figure out how can this be highly unlikely when it happens? 

hollyann

san,  it isn't that uncommon for sisters to be diagnosed with bc....I was diagnosed just 5 months after my older sister was diagnosed with Stage 2 bc.........Our Mother had bc when we were children,  in fact even before we were born....Our mother had bc while she carried us in the womb....None of us carries the BRCA genes either.....We were all pre menopausal..........I wish your sister all the best of luck and am praying for benign results.......

wishiwere

I don't know where you doc got his information, but yes, premenopausal sisters DO both get cancer, so what is he saying?

And with the BRCA testing.  Did you do the genetice intake with a counselor at all? I'm sure it must have been explained, that IF you test Negative, it only means, that you are not positive for the 1 or 2 that that they test for.  There are other genes out there, that have not been 'found' yet or figured out yet, so it's likely you have another gene other than the ones you were tested for.  

Saying a prayer and keeping good thoughts for you sister to get those B9 reports!

MargaretB

My sister was 38 when she was dx 13 years ago.  Five years later my mother was dx at age 70 and I was dx 3-1/2 years ago at age 49.  So your doctor and I have a difference of opinion.  I just had the genetic testing done and am BRCA 2 positive.  Neither of my sisters nor my mom have been tested.  Hoping your sister gets a B9 report.

san4850

Thanks, ladies.  Well, my sister called me yesterday just as I got home from work.  It's malignant.    Earlier in the day she called the radiologist who did the biopsy and he said the results weren't going to be ready until Tuesday at the earliest, even though his nurse told her the results will be ready on Monday.  Well, apparently her ob-gyn got the results very late in the afternoon, and called her.  My sister was expecting to hear it was malignant because of the things the radiologist was saying as he was performing the biopsy (this doesn't look good, the lymph gland is swollen, the shape of the mass is irregular).  She said she told her dr. that the radiologist told her how highly unusual for 2 premenopausal sisters to get b/c, and acted like it's very unusual that it could even happen.  Her dr. said she doesn't know where this radiologist got that from, and that it's not unusual, and as you ladies have indicated, it's very common.

Traci-----TripNeg

san4850,

I am sorry beyond words for you and your sister.

My 'lil sis got BC 10 yrs ago when she was pregnant and 30. I got mine in 2/07 when I was 40. We are both BRCA 1+. I have two more sisters. One got cervical and uterine cancer when she was 42 (3 yrs ago, BRCA -) and the other one, thank God, is so far cancer free. She has not done the gene testing yet.Not that there is a link but, my dad died of cancer 7/07 and one of my bro's was dx with skin cancer 2/08. Grandpa died of cancer and so did his sister although, not  BC.

I hate this disease.

Please tell your sis to come on here for support........

Hugs girl,

Traci

san4850

Thank you Traci.  Wow, you and your family have sure been thru a lot, and you're a triple-neg survivor too.  AWESOME!!  My sister now looks to me for guidance because she's already seen what I've been thru,  I'm wondering what's going thru my mother's head, and if she thinks she's got a bullseye on her breasts now that her only 2 daughters got it.  She did have 2 biopsies in her lifetime for lumpy tissue, but both were benign.

Little-G

San,

I'm sorry to hear about your sister!!  My younger sister called me yesterday and she is going in for a mammo and ultra sound on Thurs.  Her doc. thinks she feels a lump.  Hopefully its not BC.  I have it, and my mom too.  I also hope it spares her!!  Best wishes to your sister as she starts the journey. 

g