How likely am I to get breast cancer if my mom has it?
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 at
5:55 pm
My mom was just diagnosed with breast cancer. It is the first time anyone in my family has ever gotten breast cancer. She had surgery to remove the front part of her breast and now awaits radiation treatment. She’s been told there’s about a 6% chance of the cancer returning.
I am a healthy 27 year old who gets regular check-ups with the doctor. I was wondering how high a percentage rate it would be for me to get breast cancer?
In case it matters, I forgot to mention my mom was/is 67 when she was diagnosed.
Filed under: Alternative Medicine
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Like all other types of cancer, breast cancer is rarely hereditary; only 5 – 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary, and they are due to a rare inherited faulty gene.
Breast cancer diagnosed after the age of 50 is even less likely to be hereditary.
A sign that breast cancer might (only might) be hereditary is when several members of the same side of a family have had it, especially if some developed it at a younger than usual age. In those circumstances, genetic testing to establish whether one of the rare faulty genes is present might be considered appropriate.
You are almost certainly not at increased risk if your mother is the only family member who has had breast cancer; but as the daughter of a woman who has had breast cancer you will be treated as at increased risk as a precaution. Your routine mammograms should start when you are ten years younger than your mother was at diagnosis if that age comes before 40, when routine mammograms start.
Where breast cancer is hereditary, there is no pattern of it skipping a generation; the faulty gene can only be passed from parent to child, and it’s a 50% possibility that it will be. Inheriting the gene doesn’t mean someone will definitely develop breast cancer.
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Yes, her age is important. Breast cancer diagnosed after 50 is even less likely to be hereditary. As she’s the only family member to have had breast cancer, you can be sure you’re not at increased risk.
Best wishes to your mum for her treatment – and to you, it’s hard seeing someone you love go through this.
For information about Breast cancer and a place to talk to other people who are going and have been through the same thing, you might both find htis site helpfu; I found online support forums so helpful in the days and weeks after diagnosis:
http://www.breastcancer.org
To be honest, I heard it skips a generation. You’re less likely to get it than if your grandmother had it.
Not very likely. It’s not all about Genetics. I got Breast Cancer all on my own without any help from my family. Your mom’s diagnose is very good. Radiation will be a piece of cake for her. I had the same thing. 6 percent chance reoccurence is great, I am at 10 percent, and they still think it’s good.
Relax. You have a long way to go to worry. Listen to your Gynecologist and let him tell you when you need your first mammogram. Then be Proactive with your health.