BRCA2 Gene Positive**Needing advice**

Hi Wilmeika,

My heart goes out to you - you are so young to have to deal with this type of decision. Overall, you have to decide what is best for you. No one can predict what is going to happen, so you have to make the decision that you can live with. Frequent screenings and early detection is key. Expensive if you have to pay out of pocket, but not as expensive as full cancer treatment.

I am BRCA 2 positive as well. While I had no family history of breast or ovarian cancer, I have stage IIb breast cancer - diagnosed at 38. I completed 6 rounds of chemo and will be heading to surgery within the next 2 weeks for a bilateral mastectomy, then radiation for 6 weeks. Doctors are also calling for me to cut out my ovaries and fallopian tubes due to being extremely high risk. I am doing research on the latest studies and findings for ovarian cancer to help me make a decision. Some research suggests that one type of ovarian cancer begins in the fallopian tubes then spreads to the ovaries, so I am considering just cutting those out for now. But I could get a tubal ligation and reduce the risk that way too. There is much more information available to help you decide. Remember, you don't have to go with the all or nothing approach. Doctors are trying to reduce the risk to less than 1%, so they will recommend anything to get you there.

As my oncologist says, at the end of the day, you know if you are someone who wants to play the odds and how much risk you are will to take. His job is to keep me alive no matter what decision I make.

Best wishes to you -

Alex

Hi Wilmeika, We are really sorry that you are going through this at such a young age.

You may find this section helpful to read, if you haven't already:

What to Do if Your Genetic Test Results Are Positive

We're all here for you!

Hi

I am also 25 and just was tested for the BRCA2 test a few weeks ago because my mother has the gene. I found out on Thursday night that I tested positive too and have been really upset the last few days. My mom didn't find out that she tested positive until she was 57 and luckily she had never had any cancer yet. But because of the risk she decided to get both the double mastectomy and ovary surgeries. It was horrible to watch her go through that and now I have to think about these options myself. For now, I am just gong to do surveillance with MRI's every year and clinical exams with a doctor every 6 months. I want to have babies so will not get my ovaries out until after that, but now knowing this information I feel that I will want to have a family sooner in life so that I can get them out since it lowers the risks so much.I am trying to reframe this and think about it as a blessing that I know so early, that knowledge is power and that knowing I have the gene and the high risk is os much better than finding out after I already had cancer. But it is still very upsetting and scary and seems like a big burden to know so early in life and have this in the back of my head at such a young age. I'm happy to find a group where I can talk about this with others who have experienced it so thank you for posting!

Rachel

Wilmeika and Rachel, there is new information coming out about BRCA all the time, so be sure you get to meet with not just any doctor, but one who is a genetic counselor who works in women's cancers. You want to have the latest recommendations, and personalized recommendations, about if and when to have surveillance and/or surgery for your breasts and ovaries, and in what order. Wilmeika, if I were you I would try to get a genetics consult at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, which serves your state. You are very young, and you want to get really good advice. Even if you have to pay something.