Multiple Family Members with Breast Cancer?

I am BRCA1 and have no family history of breast cancer. I got the BRCA gene from my dad's side (mom tested negative) and there is some other cancers - but no breast. But this family is mostly male.

I was diagnosed in 2008; my older sister was diagnosed in 2009. After she was diagnosed, we were recommended for genetic screening. She died in 2010 before hers could be done; I am BRCA2+. My mom and other sister were tested and are both BRCA-, but my mom was also diagnosed with breast cancer last fall. Before the 3 of us, there was only my maternal grandmother who had had breast cancer (in the 1970s). Since my mom is BRCA-, we assume the mutation didn't come from there. My father has declined to be tested, but there's no history of any cancer in his family (many kids, several girls). Weird stuff, this cancer.

My oldest sister was diagnosed Stage IV imflammatory BC in Aug 2005 at age 48 (not sure of the hormonal status but I do recall her mentioning she took herceptin and maybe tamox? She passed from the BC in Jan 2007 so I can't ask her now).

My other sis was diagnosed Stage 1A IDC ER/PR positive, Her2 Negative in Sept 2013, age 52. She had a lump and rads and is doing fine.

I was diagnosed w/ Low grade adenosquamous carcinoma, a rare variant of IDC in June 2014, age 49. Mine is weird because it shows as ER/PR and Her2 neg, but it's not actually triple negative cancer. No stage was mentioned, but based on the descriptions on BCO, it was 1A because the tumor was .9 cm and no node involvement. I opted for a BMX because of fmaily history and also the kind of tumor I had develop from intraductal papilomas, and I had those in my other breast, so off they both went! Since i did the MX, they said no rads.They only would have suggested chemo if the tumor had been high-grade, but my kind doesn't respond well to chemo, so i dodged that bullet.

I also have an aunt (father's sister) that had some type of BC, but I don't know anything about it. I have never met her (I have no contact w/ my father's side of the family). My oldest sister told me about it (she had occasional contact with her).

My middle sis and I both came up negative on the genetic testing (Myriad MyRisk) except for some mutation of unknown significance.

Editied to correct date of oldest sis's diagnosis and to add our ages since the are significant.

My mum and sister also have breast cancer (maternal grandmother also had it) - none of us tested positive for the BRCA gene. We're all ER+/PR+ HER- though.

The geneticist has said although we tested negative it does look like there's another mutation that they haven't clearly defined yet, so there's some comfort in thinking that the samples we've given (and would offer in the future if needed) might go towards decoding risk factors...something good has to come out of all this.

I completely agree with vlnrph. My gen. counselor and insurer wanted to limit my testing to BRCA1/2 only, while my surgeon wanted an additional panel. Thank goodness she won, as there was extremely important information in the extended panel. The BRCA testing would have been a waste of time and money and very misleading.

The gen. counselor did tell me that they are starting to follow up with women who had been negative for BRCA to encourage them to consider an updated panel but it's not happening as quickly as it should. If you've already done BRCA testing the additional expense should be minimal, and probably covered by insurance.

Denise - I'm sorry to hear about your sister's dx. I wish her the best.

Not BRCA 1 genetic anyway. Even if one of your parents is BRCA positive you only have a 50% chance of inheriting it. The vast majority of breast cancer, 90% as far as they know now, is not genetic

Not really true Ddw. Look at this:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/genetics/br...

I have had multiple family members who have had breast cancer -- many have passed away. My sister, my two aunts on my father's side (both who died), my cousins (all) on my dad's side, some who have passed away, some who got mastectomies, and I am a breast cancer survivor. (1996 Stage IIB invasive ductal followed by surgery, chemo, radiation). Since my cancer I've had nearly 10 biopsies and my breast is dense so sometimes nothing shows in diagnostic mammos and ultra sounds; sometimes something does show. My doctor and I recently felt a change in my right breast which again showed nothing in mammo and US. I have never been tested for the BRCA but one of my oncologists believes I have that gene. Now, after all that, I am wanting to do a prophylactic mastectomy with reconstruction because of all the above and even if what is going on right now is nothing more than a seroma from an infection I got from my last biopsy in 2012. Do you think the doctor will go for this. I am sick of continuous mammos and US and MRI breast scans. Your thoughts.

On my Mom's side of the family. With 7 girls, 5 have either breast, ovarian or uterine cancers, ironically, my Mom is cancer free. Within my nuclear family, 4/5 of us dx with cancer, including my sister and I both with breast cancer. Both families everyone is BRCA1/2 negative. I am awaiting a 17 gene panel results if for nothing else to put the genes out there to someday find what is the problem. My geneticist says I have an interesting family. Not really what you want to hear.

I have 1 first degree relative with BC (sister) and 3 second degree relatives with BC (grandma& ,aunt). Grandma had separate cervical, uterine, breast(at 59)and 2 bouts of colon cancers (she fought the good fight and passed at age 76, I kid you not!) The aunt had BC at age 37, and she had lung cancer at age 81, so obviously, she lived a long time, too.

But after that it gets rather murky--I have 6 other 1st & 2nd degree relatives, and at least 7 third degree relatives who have had various other cancers: thyroid, pancreatic, lymphoma, several with lung or colon cancers. All 6 of my grandmother's siblings had breast, lung, or colon cancer, or some combination of those. In all, there are 17 people in my family who have had cancer of some form or another.

When I tested positive for IDC in July 2015 my BS immediately ordered genetic testing. The initial set of tests were for 5 breast genes, including BRCA 1&2. I elected to also have another assay that tests for other types of cancer, including colon cancer and pancreatic cancer. The initial 5 were negative and my sisters & I rejoiced. Yesterday, I found out that the other assay came back positive for 2 genes, both for breast cancer. Foo! The genetics counselor and the BS are sufficiently concerned, that they want me to go in for a face-to-face meeting. That makes me uneasy. Appt with genetics next Fri, followed directly by an appt with the BS to get final path results of the lumpectomy I had today. Double foo!

Not sure what this means for future treatment, but I am preparing myself for all eventualities.

my mom and both my sisters were dx'd with bc. My sisters were both premenopausal. For five years they've done bx. This year for the first time it is an excision bx. My hr considers bx to not be a chronic health thing and will dog me for alike it is just taking a mental health day or whatever. Have arranged so far to get around it with vs time. Been though you're supposed to give 2 weeks. I'vand I am directed to do x or y in 2 hours

I'm on iPad. Sorry for atrocious auto grammar and spellcheck but I think y'all get what I'm sayin

Hello,

My mother was Dx with brca at 48, died 10 months later (stage 4). My maternal grandmother was Dx at 48, died from brca at 51. I am 38 and all genetics testing recently done came back negative. I'm considering going forward with elective double mastectomy anyway because of anxiety and fear that because my mother's and grandmother's Dx were both premenopausal and aggressive, that I'm next. Has anyone out there gone forward with the surgery even with negative Brca genetic testing?