First off, I apologize to those in here who may find this to be unhelpful;
however, I figured that out of all of the groups that were available, this
was my best place to look. Except for my mother, sister, and daughter, all
the ages are when the women in my family had breast cancer.
For the last four generations (which is as far back as I can take it) there
has been a 100% Breast Cancer rate in the women of my mother's family, with
but four exceptions: my mother (67), my sister (45) and my daughter (6), and
one of my cousins, who died at 19, but who's sister had breast cancer (29)
and who's mother had breast cancer (38 and 46), who's aunt had breast cancer
(40s), grandmother (40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and who most of the family believes
has once again come out of remission in her low 80s). My grandmother died
of breast cancer (in her 30s, remission, then returned again in her 30s for
a fatal occurance... the remission phase is important to my story), her
sister had a double radical mastectomy in her late 40s, her niece had cancer
(in her early 40s), and my great grandmother died of it (late 30s). There
are a few others in their, but the overriding story is that every one, with
only the exception (my mother's line) that if they made it to their late
20s or 30s, they ended up with breast cancer.
My mother's story is unique in that... her mother was diagnosed with breast
cancer and went through then experimental radiation treatments in the late
30s, went in remisson, and then became pregnant with my mother. When she
began nursing my mother, she noticed that she had pain again in her breasts,
and within a year was rediagnosed, and out of remission. She died when my
mother was four.
The point of this is that there is a VERY strong genetic predisposition for
breast cancer in my family; as a male, I'm one of the few men who needs to
be particularly worried about breast cancer; I'm worried for my sister,
mother and daughter, though. Does anyone know of a doctor who is studying
genetic links to breast cancer (or who might want to study to find what
exactly about my mother is special that she and my sister are still cancer
free even though it's striking everyone else; my mom just did have a scare
last week, though) or who know of some institute that would like to do such
a study?
I really don't know who to contact but it seems that there should be some
interest in the medical community for something that ravages the women in my
family.
You can reply directly to this thread (I'll read it for the next few weeks)
or via email.
alex - 23 Jul 2006 05:31 GMT
All you have to do is to go to a major cancer center and be evaluated at the
high risk clinic. First you meet with a genetic counselor who will review
your family tree. Then if appropriate they can test for the BRCA1 and BRCA2
gene. Then you meet with the high risk clinic doctor who will go over all
the risk factors. Your mother and sister may not have the gene therefore no
cancer. The clinic will established who should get tested. For example if
your mother doesn't have the gene than your sister and your daughter would
be free of the gene. The test is expensive but covered by most insurances.
> First off, I apologize to those in here who may find this to be unhelpful;
> however, I figured that out of all of the groups that were available, this
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
> You can reply directly to this thread (I'll read it for the next few
> weeks) or via email.
madiba - 23 Jul 2006 14:54 GMT
> The point of this is that there is a VERY strong genetic predisposition for
> breast cancer in my family; as a male, I'm one of the few men who needs to
> be particularly worried about breast cancer; I'm worried for my sister,
> mother and daughter, though. Does anyone know of a doctor who is studying
One could argue that the predisposition ended with your mother. Maybe
your grandpa brought 'good' genes back into the family, or your
grandma's radiation before her pregnancy 'reshuffled' the genetics in
her ovaries for future generations, so to speak.. You also don't mention
any men having it so that would be another reason for not putting you in
a high risk group. Your sister has made it into her 40's without BC so
thats another hint that you and your daughter can relax.

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madiba