breast cancer with pos. brca 2

Gracie- I am sorry to read this. I was in your shoes a little over a year ago. I had a lumpectomy and was headed for radiation when I found out I was BRCA2+. It took some soul searching but I decided to have a nipple sparing BMX. My recurrence risk was too high and I did not want to risk it. I was 48 then. Feel free to PM me if you want.

So sorry you are facing all this at once!  It's really tough, especially with so much info coming at you.  Nipple/skin sparing MX are something that might be an option for you.  It depends on the distance between the cancer and the nipple.  It needs to be a pretty big distance.  Your doctor can tell you about this. 

Check out the FORCE website.   This is for women with postive BRCA results.  Pretty much all of them have done the surgery and they can give a very good idea of your options.   

Many women on this board have done nipple sparing and have good results.  There are good results even without nipple sparing, so don't get too down on that.  The most important thing is your health right now.  Take it one day at a time.  (((hugs))) 

I am 32, have IDC, and am gene positive. No deciciveness for me. I have 4 children 13& under, and dont want to spend a whole lot of time worrying. Having a bilateral mastectomy july 18th with immediate reconstruction

Gracie - I just found out last week that I am BRCA2 positive and needle biopsy the week before showed DCIS. I will be having BMX and hope to have immediate reconstruction - meeting with PS on Monday. I will also be having a complete hysterectomy/ovary and tube removal due to the risk of ovarian cancer. My BS said I was not a candidate for nipple sparing because there is too much of a risk with the size of my DCIS lesion size on mammogram - more than 8cm. I am just hoping that the surgical pathology does not reveal anything else.



My mother was diagnosed at 34 (she died at 38) and her sister was diagnosed at 42. As soon as they came out with the BRCA test almost 20 years ago, I knew I would get tested and have a BMX if I was positive. The crazy thing is they found DCIS on a routine MRI before I even had the chance to get the gene test. I had the genetic counseling a couple of years ago, but I was waiting to get tested until after the Suprme Court upheld the healthcare legislation!



I am 40, and while I dread the surgeries and recoveries and early menopause, I know I am doing the right thing for me and my family - my children are 4 and 7.



Have you discussed with your BS? With a positive BRCA 2, which carries an 84% chance of breast cancer, I would be very surprised if she would recommend anything other than BMX. Please PM me if you want to chat. I know it is completely overwhelming.