IT'S IN THE GENES

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Mumtobe
Mumtobe Member Posts: 159
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Hi Ladies,

 I have a question - was diagnosed with Triple Neg BC a few months ago. Had decided that when the time comes for surgery that I would like to opt for a double mx and mentioned this to my nurse over the phone today. She advised that it's very rare that my surgeon would perform a double mx and explained that sometimes it can be a rash decision made by younger women. She advised that yes I have triple neg but that I haven't been tested for 'bracket positive' cancer yet and to wait until this is done. She explained that this is genetic and because of my age (I'm 32) I'm mostly positive and it is in my genes. I'm confused now. I assumed that my cancer was genetic because of my age and I'm not hormone positive. So what is 'bracket positive'? And I'm also wondering why they just wouldn't take the second breast now. She said it takes months to detect if I am 'bracket positive', what if it occurs again in the second breast while I'm waiting to hear if I am or not? I feel confused and really concerned now, could I have two different types of cancer at the same time? Help!!!

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  • christina1961
    christina1961 Member Posts: 736
    edited August 2012

    Hi Mumtobe,

    Here is an article about the BRCA genes.  BRCA is not a different type of cancer, it is a gene defect that makes a person more prone to get breast cancer, so many times those who test positive do decide to get a bilateral mastectomy. Many triple negative breast cancers in younger women are BRCA positive, but not all.  I had the BRCA test (even though I am not young!) because my sister had breast cancer. I think it took about 3 weeks to get my results - I was negative. I got neoadjuvant chemo while I was waiting on results. I ended up getting a unilateral mastectomy.

     http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/genetics.jsp

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited August 2012

    Hi Mumtobe,

    Christina is right and very helpful with her link. There are lots more links below referring to genetic testing and the BRCA (sometimes pronounced "brah-ka") 1 & 2 genes.

    For an indepth look at getting tested for the BRCA genes and what the results (positive or negative results) mean for you, see the main Breastcancer.org site's section on Genetic Testing. Also the BRCA1 and BRCA2 Testing page can be helpful.

    Hope this helps clear things up!

    --The Mods

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  • Babs37
    Babs37 Member Posts: 455
    edited August 2012

    Hi Mumtobe. There is cancer on both sides in my family. My grandma (maternal side) had BC and almost all her sisters too. My aunt (paternal side) died of BC. My grandfather (paternal side) had colon cancer in his 40's.I got tested for both BRCA 1-2 and it came back negative. I was 37 YO at TNBC diagnose. So it is not always in our genes even if we get cancer younger.

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  • Mumtobe
    Mumtobe Member Posts: 159
    edited August 2012

    Thanks ladies for your replies. I just felt so deflated after talking to my nurse but once I spoke to my husband last night he reminded me that my onc had spoken to us about this on the first day we met her, she advised I could potentially be carrying the gene but obviously I will need to get checked. As my husband said it is a good thing to find out and regardless of the results that knowledge is power and we can do something about it then. I'm looking forward to meeting my onc on Monday again to talk to her about having a double MX, it is something I really feel I should push for!

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  • Luah
    Luah Member Posts: 1,541
    edited August 2012

    Certainly if you turn out to be BRCA positive, the BMx is a very strong option - but you don't know that yet. I think that's what your nurse was trying to tell you - to get the testing done and then decide. I had a Lx, then chemo... by the time I was facing rads, I had my BRCA test results back (it takes about 4-8 weeks here), so if it had have been positive, I would have done the BMx instead. It was negative.

    Are you doing chemo first (before surgery)? - I can't recall if you mentioned that. If so, that would give you more time to figure it out. 

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  • Mumtobe
    Mumtobe Member Posts: 159
    edited August 2012

    Hi lush, yes having chemo first, one more bout to go. I have to have mastectomy anyway of right breast once baby born, I just want to avoid bc in the other breast so I was thinking of preemptive mastectomy. Will discuss further with onc though.

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