Sister diagnosed a month and two days after I got my diagnosis

cgifford7
cgifford7 Member Posts: 27
edited June 2021 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

I can't fricking believe this, my sister just got diagnosed one month and two days after I did. I think I'm more upset for her than I was for myself because she's already in the middle of a tough divorce. I'm DCIS, surgery is on July 7 and I'm really hoping they don't find any invasion in my post surgery pathology, she's IDC. My genetic testing did not show any mutations in the nine main breast cancer genes. I did have three variants of uncertain significance, two in POLE (some mutations linked to polyps and colon cancer) and one in HoxB13 (some mutations linked to prostate cancer, and my dad and his dad had prostate cancer). If anyone knows whether those genes have any links to breast cancer, let me know, and I know that this could also just be random chance.

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  • Monarchandthemilkweed
    Monarchandthemilkweed Member Posts: 176
    edited June 2021

    I can’t answer your questions but wanted to offer support. My sister and I were diagnosed about 6 months apart. Her with late stage ovarian cancer ans me with breast. We both carry the chek2 gene. I had been taking care of her through surgery and chemo amd then got diagnosed myself. It really sucks. But we have been able to be very supportive of each other. I wish you two wel

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  • flashlight
    flashlight Member Posts: 698
    edited June 2021

    My sister was diagnosed 13 months after me. All my genetic testing came back negative. Our grandmother had BC, but we don't have any details. We continue to be concerned about our children. At least with our history they will be monitored.

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  • cgifford7
    cgifford7 Member Posts: 27
    edited June 2021

    Thanks for responding ladies. I am very much having a This Sucks! day. Prior to my diagnosis it was just my maternal aunt and maternal grandmother (that I know of), so I wasn't too surprised when nothing came back on the genetic test. Now with me and my sister it kind of makes me wonder, but breast cancer is so common it could just be luck of the draw. None of us got it in our 30's or 40's, my sister is the youngest at 54. Even without a conclusive genetic link, my daughters are going to have to have a heightened vigilance about it.

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  • LivinLife
    LivinLife Member Posts: 1,332
    edited June 2021

    Sooo feel for you cgifford!! Yes, important your daughters are vigilant! I had DCIS vs. invasive cancer though have various cancers throughout my family (3 sibs and both parents died of various cancers), increased breast cancer on both maternal and paternal sides, let alone other cancers, of the family including deaths from breast cancers and yet I had no genetic ties other than the POLD variant you mentioned. I do not believe they know enough about the POLD variant yet other than the colon cancer ties - I had a precancerous adenoma prior to knowing about that variant so already in a "high risk" screening protocol. Wishing you and your sister well! Please keep us posted on how the two of you are doing as things unfold....

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  • Emily21
    Emily21 Member Posts: 80
    edited June 2021

    I'm about to have genetic screening, I have oncotype score of 51, my sister was diagnosed with dcis 3yrs ago and my mother 45yrs ago both are well. I'm sure something will show up. I wish you both all the best.

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  • ctmbsikia
    ctmbsikia Member Posts: 1,095
    edited June 2021

    My sister was diagnosed at age 50. Almost 7 years ago. ILC larger tumor almost to chest wall prior screenings didn't show. After DMX her MO ordered a bone scan and sure enough Metastatic in her spine. Further progession after Ai and Xegeva to pelvis. ibrance @ 100 mg is most recent treatment and it worked. No evidence of active disease. Currently on a treatment hiatus til next scan. Only one maternal aunt diagnosed at age 70. Early stage and lumpectomy only. She's last living aunt age 80 now. Crazy. I presented with a lump at my 1st mammo ever at 56 and several years after my sister.

    Just in my time here I find lots of younger women being diagnosed alarming as well as family members and wonder wtf? Is it better screening? I fear for our off spring.

    I was a candidate for genetic testing. Negative for braca and nothing else of significance

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  • JanieHS
    JanieHS Member Posts: 26
    edited June 2021

    My mother was diagnosed at 60, had a primary reoccurrence at 63, spread to her bones at 73 (she died 4 months after it was found). Her only female first cousin was diagnosed at 50. I have 3 sisters. I was diagnosed at 66 (I’m the family late bloomer), one sister at 50 , one sister at 53 who, after 5 years on Tamoxifen developed uterine cancer ( a known but relatively rare side effect of Tamoxifen) and died of it 18 months later. My third sister (youngest) has so far escaped. I have 5 female first cousins (all younger than me). Three so far have/had BC, and one of those 3 (she had not smoked in years, but she did smoke so there’s that) has died of lung cancer. I have 4 female second cousins - 2 have/had BC, one died of hers. ALL of us have had genetic testing - NOTHING shows up for any of us. Very hard to believe this is just random or bad luck. Hopefully they will figure something out before my daughters and nieces (all of whom are now getting mammograms/MRI’s in their 30s) get it.

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