One Less Battle To Fight

When I was first diagnosed, I was immediately referred to the genetics department to be tested for any mutations on the two known Breast Cancer genes-BRCA1 and BRCA2. These two genes belong to a class of tumor suppressor genes. A mutation on either gene has been linked to both hereditary breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The genetics counselor explained to me (early on) that when a woman is diagnosed at a young age there is a high likelihood that the mutation may be present. Most woman diagnosed with breast cancer are in late adulthood. The thought is that when a person is diagnosed early the suppressor genes may have had mutations and weren't able to do their job to stop the tumor growth. So, in a person without mutations they may have been able to fight off tumor growth in their 30's, 40's etc. without ever knowing it. The next step in the process was to send my blood samples off to Utah. There is one lab in the entire United States testing for these mutations (can we say monopoly?). If I was found to havethese mutations, the breast cancer would be considered hereditary and would put me at an extremely high risk of also getting ovarian cancer. The doctor described that most woman who test positive for the mutation will also get a hysterectomy.

I was given all of this information just after diagnosis and right before starting my chemo battle. Hearing that at 32 not only was I facing breast cancer, but also a possible hysterectomy was a little too much for me at the time. I put it on the back burner because the results would not influence the oncologist's plan for treatment. Once I finished chemo, I went ahead and followed through and sent my blood to Utah. With my medical luck the last year part of me thought the results would come back positive and this would be another battle to fight.

On the morning of surgery I received a call and email that the results had come back........

I tested negative for both gene mutations.

This doesn't give us an answer to "WHY" I got breast cancer so young, but it does eliminate the need for a hysterectomy. Although, we don't know if we are done having children it doesn't close that door completely. It also doesn't put the woman in my family tree (cousins, aunts, grandparents) in the position where they have to decide whether to get tested. If I was positive, the woman in my family would have the ability to be tested to see if they carried the gene mutation as well. This is an issue you may have seen in the media lately the quandary of whether or not you would want to know if you are more likely to get cancer.

Regardless, it is NEGATIVE. This is one battle that stops here! Woo Hoo!