Women who have a family history of breast cancer account for around 15 percent of all women who develop the disease. Having a close relative with breast cancer (mother, sister, or daughter) increases your risk by a factor of two. Both breast cancer and ovarian cancer are among the top 10 causes of death among females aged 50 and over in the United States.
The development of breast cancer can occur in a variety of ways. But many people are genetically predisposed to or more sensitive to acquiring the disease. Testing for BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations in the body can help women and men determine if they are at risk of developing breast cancer, among other things.
Breast Cancer (BRCA)
Everything about you, from your eye color to your height and everything in between, is determined by your DNA and Genetic structure. The information contains your genes inherited from both your mother and your father, according genetics. If you decide to have children, you will be able to pass on your genes to them.
Everyone possesses the BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BReast CAncer genes 1 and 2) genes. Which is the majority of instances convey information to generate proteins that suppress cancers and repair DNA damage. The chance of developing breast cancer in both men and women is considerably increased by a mutation in one or both of these genes. Which inherit by a tiny fraction of the general population.
Women in the general population have a 7 percent probability of developing breast cancer by the time they reach the age of 70. However, when examining the community of women. Who has a mutation in one or both of the BRCA1/2 genes, that rate rises from 45 percent to 65 percent?
What is BRCA Testing?
It is possible to find out if you have a BRCA gene mutation by doing a BRCA gene test. During the examination, your doctor will draw a blood sample, which sends to a laboratory for analysis. Your BRCA mutation status will determine in a matter of weeks. Whether you have a positive or negative gene mutation. Regular Gene and DNA testing are important and now it’s very easy with HealthCodes DNA™.
Their physical hazards involved in the BRCA test performance, aside from the mental and emotional toll. That comes with blood collection and waiting for the findings to return.
If you do have a mutation, your doctor can help you understand your cancer risk and determine the best course of action to take immediately.
Who should get tested?
Families that are at risk can have blood tests done to check for abnormalities in these genes. If any of the following apply to you, you should speak with your doctor about genetic testing:
- Premenopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancer can occur at any age in a woman. If she has two or more blood relatives with the disease, including her mother, sister, aunt, cousin, or daughter.
- Your breast cancer discovers early in life, especially before menopause, and you have a blood relative. Who has to diagnose with breast or ovarian cancer?
- In addition to having blood relations who have had ovarian or breast cancer. You diagnose with breast cancer.
- Breast cancer has or diagnose in a male member of your family.
- It determines that you or a member of your family has bilateral breast cancer (cancer in both breasts).
- Someone in your family (male or female) has a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, and you connect to them.
Benefits of Gene and DNA Testing
Genetic testing may be beneficial for some women since it can assist them in making educated medical and lifestyle decisions. While also alleviating the worry associated with not knowing their genetic heritage. You can also make a decision on prevention, which might include both drugs and surgical procedures performed as a precaution. Women also participate in medical research. Which has the potential to lessen their chance of dying from breast cancer in the long run.
Know the Risks
Women who inherit a faulty BRCA1 gene have a 55 percent to 65 percent chance of developing breast cancer by the time they reach the age of 70. Women who have a mutant BRCA2 gene are at around a 45 percent increased risk. Men who have the BRCA mutation are likewise at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
In any case, there is a greater likelihood of developing breast cancer at a younger age (before menopause).
In addition, people who have mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are at an increased risk of developing second primary breast cancer. It is also more common in women who have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation to develop bilateral breast cancer (cancer in both breasts).
Additionally, these mutations increase your chances of developing ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, peritoneal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Prostate cancer is more common in men than in women.
What Happens During Genetic Testing?
If you want to find out if your family has a pattern of cancer growth, you’ll need to look at your family tree. A family pedigree is a diagram that depicts the genetic makeup of a person’s forefathers and foremothers. In this case, it is utilized to investigate the features or diseases that are passed down via a family.
Following that, you will undergo a blood test to determine whether or not you have a breast cancer gene. It’s important to remember that the great majority of breast cancer cases are not connected to a specific breast cancer gene mutation. Furthermore, scientists do not know all of the genes that can cause breast cancer. They can only test you for the genes that are known to cause the disease.
When a cancer diagnosis is confirmed in a person with a family history of the disease, and it is discovered that the person’s BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene has been mutated, the family is referred to as having a “known mutation.” The blood of all family members willing to participate in Genetic and DNA testing is requested if there is a link between the development of breast cancer and the presence of a breast cancer gene. A lot of people value knowing their test findings because this information may be useful in making health-care decisions for themselves and their families in the future.
What the Results Might Impact Your Future
Knowing whether or not you have a high-risk inherited genetic mutation provides you with the knowledge. You need to make information a decision about which breast cancer screening options are the best fit for your needs.
In most cases, if you test positive for a mutation, your doctor will recommend that you undergo extra screening for breast and ovarian cancers, such as mammograms and breast magnetic resonance imaging.
Typically, cancers associated with BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic abnormalities progress more quickly, making it critical to develop a treatment strategy with your doctor to address any difficulties head-on.
Whether you have a genetic mutation or not, it is critical to be aware of your health risks, make plans for the future, and lead a healthy, balanced life to avoid developing cancer.
The most effective method to accomplish this is to visit your doctor regularly for routine health checks, incorporate some form of exercise into your daily routine, and select the diet that is best for your health and total genetic composition.
What should a Woman do if ‘Cancer Gene’ is spotted?
Breast cancer screening should begin at age 25, or 10 years earlier. Then the age of the youngest relative with breast cancer at the time of their diagnosis, for women in high-risk categories (first-degree relative with breast cancer, previous abnormal breast biopsy results with atypical ductal hyperplasia or lobular hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ). As well as for women who have the genes linked to breast cancer.
Learn about the appearance and sensation of your breasts. If you detect any changes, schedule an appointment with your doctor soon away. Discuss with your doctor the possibility of having blood tests, pelvic exams, and transvaginal ultrasounds performed to check for ovarian cancer.
Some women elect to have a preventive (prophylactic) mastectomy to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. It is also possible to have your ovaries and fallopian tubes removed during this procedure as well. However, while this does not eliminate all risk, it does greatly reduce it.
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Sources and References
https://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/understanding-breast-cancer-basics
https://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/genetic-testing-risk