Recent good news: Learned that I do NOT have the breast cancer gene
A very simple blood test (costing $3100, but paid for by my insurance) revealed this good news. You can learn more about the breast cancer gene here.
An article in the New York Times in September discussed the issue of testing for the breast cancer gene in detail, and I raised it again with my doctors.
Previously they had said, since I had no family history of breast cancer, I didn’t have the gene. But reading that article made me want to know for sure. And, genetically speaking, I don’t have a lot of family members – I have no cousins or aunts who are blood relatives. My father was an only child, and so was my mother’s father (men can carry the gene but are much less likely than women to get the disease). So it seemed possible that the gene could be lurking. If I had the gene, it would mean I faced a 40-55% cancer of a reoccurrence of my cancer. Without the gene, my odds for a reoccurrence are around 10% -- still not great (ain’t no-one sellin’ me any life insurance …) but much better than having the gene Women who do have the gene face the decision of having prophylactic surgery: removal of the breast(s) and / or ovaries, or just to have more intensive monitoring. So I don't have to face that decision. Yay!!
I continue to be checked by my cancer specialists quarterly, and to be in great health.
On the sad side: One member of my cancer support group, Roberta, passed away (in October), and a memorial service was organized by another member of our group and held just a few days before X-mas. She was an incredibly vivacious woman and it is quite sad to face that the disease can conquer someone who had been so electrifyingly full of energy.
