What Are the Odds?!

Hello, and welcome to the group...although I'm sorry you have to be here. I too was diagnosed stage 4 de novo. I am 48. My sister had bc, stage 2 when she was 30 and is doing well today. My mother was diagnosed at 51, stage 2. She is also doing well. We are all BRCA negative. I was told by the genetic oncologist at Mayo that we likely have a mutation that has not been discovered yet. It was very wise of your sister to get the MRI. I wish I would have known to do this. I thought I was covered with my mammogram....not so. My mammos have always been clear, and continue to be clear. Perhaps if I had an MRI, they could have caught it early. Best wishes and stay warm. Its 19 below at my house.

Several years ago my aunt (mothers sister) was diagnosed Stage IV de novo in her 60’s, about 2 years later, my mother was diagnosed stage 1, also in her 60’s. After telling my PCP about my mother’s diagnosis, he ordered a mammo a month before my 40th birthday, which was clear. A year 1/2 later, I felt a lump and was diagnosed Stage IV de novo. Both my mother and I had genetic testing done, no mutations found but the geneticist thinks there’s something in a combination of genes that we just don’t know about yet. After my diagnosis at 41, I was told to advise all female maternal relatives to start getting tested at 31.

My first cousin and I both got BC within a couple of years of each other, with no history in either of our families and neither one with a BRCA positive gene. I think it’s just random, this crazy disease. If one in eight women are being diagnosed, there are your odds right there.

Happy for your sister. Sorry you are joining us here. I’m almost seven years out from my mets dx, if thathelps you any.

Stefanie

BreastCancerinMinneapolis - I received a second opinion, genetic counseling and my treatment plan from Mayo, but am actually having treatment in Fargo, ND.  It is closer to my house.  Mayo docs will review my records whenever I ask.  It is really nice to have them in my back pocket.