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Breast cancer impacts hundreds of individuals yearly. It’s probably the most widespread cancers confronted by women: about 13% of women will develop breast cancer in some unspecified time in the future of their lives.
One of the commonest questions on breast cancer is, “Is breast cancer hereditary?” And the reply is sure, it may be.
Understanding your danger of growing hereditary breast cancer may help you get the screenings and preventive care you need. In this publish, we’ll discuss concerning the several types of hereditary breast cancer, genetic testing for breast cancer danger by means of genetic counselors and group health analysis research like myGenetics, and what to do in case your check reveals you could have a genetic mutation that will increase your danger of growing a illness.
Hereditary breast cancer is inherited by means of DNA
Hereditary breast cancer is brought on by genetic mutations handed down out of your dad and mom. Five to 10% of breast cancer circumstances are brought on by inherited gene mutations.
Genes are made up of DNA, and a few modifications inside the DNA (additionally referred to as mutations) are linked to an elevated danger of breast cancer. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the commonest genes linked to breast cancer, and we’ll discuss extra about them. But inherited mutations in different genes may affect your danger of growing breast cancer.
While having a historical past of breast cancer in your loved ones would possibly imply you have a genetic mutation that will increase your danger, the one manner to know for positive is thru genetic testing for gene mutations related to breast cancer danger.
Keep in thoughts that having a gene mutation that will increase your danger of breast cancer doesn’t imply you’ll develop the illness. There are preventive measures that may be taken to cut back your danger, together with earlier and elevated imaging, preventive surgical choices, and preventive medicines.
What is familial breast cancer and the way does it have an effect on your danger?
Breast cancer typically happens extra frequently in households for causes apart from an inherited single gene mutation. About 10-20% of breast cancers could also be brought on by a mix of genetic, environmental and way of life danger elements that relations have in widespread. This is named familial breast cancer, and breast cancer danger amongst relations could also be harder to predict.
Studies present {that a} household historical past of breast cancer will increase your danger of growing the situation throughout your lifetime. If one in all your first-degree feminine relations – mom, sister or daughter – has breast cancer, your private danger of breast cancer doubles. Your danger of growing breast cancer is considerably greater than common if two of your first-degree relations are identified with breast cancer.
Just like with hereditary breast cancer, household historical past of the illness doesn’t imply you’ll be identified with breast cancer for sure. But there are completely different steps you can take to cut back the danger of breast cancer, relying on your loved ones historical past. Talk along with your main care physician if you have considerations about your loved ones’s cancer historical past, and contemplate asking a couple of referral to a breast health professional for a extra customized danger evaluation.
Genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer danger appears for mutations within the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are related to a number of several types of cancer, together with breast cancer. When working correctly, BRCA1 and BRCA2 act as tumor suppressors and assist shield your body from cancer.
However, it’s doable to inherit BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations that hold the genes from doing their jobs. These mutations are related to a better danger of breast cancer and ovarian cancer in women, prostate cancer in males, and pancreatic cancer and melanoma in each sexes.
The lifetime danger of cancer for a girl who carries a BRCA mutation is greater than 60% in contrast to the final inhabitants danger of 13%.
You can inherit a BRCA mutation from both mum or dad
About 1 in 500 women within the United States have both a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Most folks inherit these gene mutations from one in all their dad and mom. It can be doable for somebody to be the primary person of their household to carry a brand new mutation, however that is uncommon.
It’s doable to inherit mutations on the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene from both mum or dad. If your mom or father has a mutation, you have a 50% probability of getting the identical mutation.
Who ought to get genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer danger?
There are some teams of people who find themselves extra possible to carry BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. Understanding your breast cancer danger may help you take proactive steps, like elevated screening and preventive care.
Genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer danger could also be a superb match for individuals who:
- Have a number of relations who’ve had breast cancer
- Have male relations with breast cancer
- Have a household historical past of ovarian cancer
- Have a relative with a identified BRCA mutation (or different gene mutation)
- Have a relative who was identified with breast cancer sooner than age 50
- Have a private historical past of breast cancer earlier than age 50, male breast cancer or triple destructive breast cancer (a kind of breast cancer with cells that don’t have estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors or the HER2 protein)
- Have a private historical past of ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer or main peritoneal cancer
Your ethnicity additionally has an affect on the probability that you have a BRCA mutation. People of Ashkenazi Jewish descent are much more possible to have a mutation within the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. One in 40 Ashkenazi Jewish women have a mutation, in contrast to the common danger of 1 in 500.
Because hereditary breast cancer is handed by means of relations, you can also carry the irregular gene if somebody in your loved ones checks constructive for a BRCA gene mutation. If you have a member of the family with a identified mutation in a breast cancer danger gene, it is beneficial that you meet with a genetic counselor to focus on what these outcomes imply for you, in addition to to focus on your choices for genetic testing.
Undergoing genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer is a private determination. If you’re not sure about breast cancer genetic testing, you ought to discuss along with your physician. They may help reply your questions, decide if testing is required, and information you towards the trail that might be finest for you.
How genetic testing for hereditary cancer works
Genetic counseling and testing are beneficial for these whose household and private health histories level to an elevated probability of a cancer gene mutation. In many circumstances, testing somebody within the household with a cancer prognosis will present essentially the most info. Sometimes this isn’t doable as a result of the member of the family has handed away or declined genetic testing. In this state of affairs, their shut relations could select to pursue testing.
Comprehensive genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer danger sometimes includes a multi-gene panel that may analyze a number of breast cancer susceptibility genes on the identical time. We know that inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations carry considerably greater lifetime dangers for breast cancer and are accountable for a big portion of hereditary breast cancer households.
There are two foremost choices for accessing genetic testing: assembly with a genetic counselor and genetic testing health analysis research.
Genetic counseling
A genetic counselor is educated to speak about inherited genetic problems. They can analyze your private and household medical historical past, present danger evaluation and assist you contemplate your testing choices. They may discuss with you about what a genetic check outcome means for you and your loved ones.
If wanted, genetic counselors can information you towards further care that may assist you handle your health dangers. If you have a private or household historical past of cancer, discuss along with your main care physician about whether or not a go to with a genetic counselor is true for you.
Genetic health screening research
DNA health research and screening applications typically supply breast cancer genetic testing and different forms of genetic health checks. In Minnesota, myGenetics is a primary of its type large-scale group health analysis research. This voluntary research is accessible to all HealthPartners and Park Nicollet sufferers over the age of 18 that don’t have a historical past of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant from a donor.
Through myGenetics, you can get details about three hereditary circumstances: Lynch syndrome, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and a hereditary type of high ldl cholesterol referred to as familial hypercholesterolemia. You may get info on regional ancestry and traits like caffeine sensitivity. All this info from myGenetics is accessible for gratis to you.
Learn extra about genetic testing with myGenetics DNA health screening.
What to do if you check constructive for a genetic danger of hereditary breast cancer
Keep in thoughts that an elevated danger of breast cancer doesn’t imply that you will develop it, however it’s nonetheless necessary to pay attention to your private danger. Having a hereditary or familial danger of growing breast cancer impacts the preventive care and screenings you need. Lifestyle modifications, elevated screening by means of imaging, preventive surgical procedures and sure medicines are all strategies that can be utilized to cut back your danger of growing cancer.
High-risk analysis and screening
If you have a genetic predisposition to growing breast cancer, your care group will work with you to create a daily screening plan. Depending in your private danger, you would possibly get screenings for breast cancer each six months. This will increase the probability issues might be detected early.
People susceptible to hereditary breast cancer or with a household historical past of the illness generally start breast cancer screenings at an earlier age than is usually beneficial. In some circumstances, your physician could advocate beginning breast cancer screenings 10 years earlier than the earliest breast cancer prognosis in your loved ones. For instance, in case your mom was identified at age 40, you would possibly start breast cancer screenings at 30.
Medications to cut back breast cancer danger
Certain medicines may be an efficient manner to cut back the danger of growing breast cancer in folks at greater danger. Some forms of medication which may be used embrace:
- Tamoxifen and raloxifene – These are each FDA-approved medicines for lowering the danger of breast cancer. Tamoxifen can be utilized by women at any stage of life, whereas raloxifene is just for post-menopausal women.
- Aromatase inhibitors – Research reveals that aromatase inhibitors can lower the danger of growing breast cancer and could also be an efficient possibility for you.
Make positive to discuss along with your physician earlier than beginning any new remedy. Like with many forms of care, remedy remedy comes with a danger of growing negative effects. Your physician will assist you weigh the dangers and advantages of those therapies contemplating your danger of genetic breast cancer.
Surgery
In some circumstances, individuals who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations could select to surgically take away their breast tissue – referred to as a double mastectomy. By eradicating as a lot breast tissue as doable, the probability that cancer develops is considerably decrease.
A double mastectomy is a private, life-altering alternative. You ought to let your physician know if you’re contemplating the process. They’ll discuss with you about the advantages and dangers of surgical procedure, what to count on throughout restoration and your choices for reconstruction.
Find out if hereditary breast cancer is a danger issue for you
If you’re keen on studying if you carry a gene mutation, genetic testing for breast cancer danger may be proper for you. Talk along with your main care physician about your choices for genetic testing and whether or not a genetic counselor or a group health analysis research like myGenetics is true for you.
If you have a private or household historical past of breast cancer, you can nonetheless take part within the myGenetics program, however it’s necessary to know that the genetic screening supplied by means of myGenetics contains solely a subset of genes that may trigger an elevated danger for cancer. If you have a private or household historical past of cancer, you ought to evaluate this info along with your care supplier or a genetic counselor to decide if extra complete testing can be applicable for you.
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