Family history

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Pammac47
Pammac47 Member Posts: 128
edited February 2016 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

We have a family history of BC earliest diagnosis at age 40, it is on both sides. My question is this current guidelines as I understand them are for first screening prior to earliest diagnosis and breast self exams monthly starting at age 20. Are these still the guidelines, I am asking for my daughter. Any new info that has varied off this would be appreciated as she is currently 34. Thank you

Pam

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited February 2016

    I think this question would be best be posed to the counselor doing the family tesring

  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited February 2016

    I agree (as usual) with Melissa. In addition, some other factors to consider: a whole variety of genes can increase one's breast cancer risk (not just BRCA1 and BRCA2.) Different gene mutations in different genes could cause an increased risk of a different pattern of cancers that might happen at different ages. For example, BRCA1or 2 typically increases one's risk of breast and ovarian cancers, but mutations in other genes might affect one's risk of breast and thyroid cancer, as in the case of PTEN (Cowden's syndrome). Sometimes the risk of cancer might be increased in one age group and not another. The size of the increased risk can vary from gene to gene too: One gene mutation might cause a 50% increase in one's risk for a cancer, while another gene might increase the risk by only 10%.

    Since this information is changing all the time, its good to check with your genetics counselor, just as Melissa said.

  • Pammac47
    Pammac47 Member Posts: 128
    edited February 2016

    yeah I agree too, she just asked and I wasn't sure of guidelines to tell her. Since I'm going for testing yeah that would be the ones most able to answer. Thank

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