danialtang

4 years

My mom had breast cancer

My mom had breast cancer. She had an operation to remove it with her breast. I am worried if I also will get the cancer. is it genetic?

Hi there! Thank you for your question. Having a positive breast cancer family history does not necessarily mean you would get breast cancer. Nevertheless, genetics or family history play an important role the risk of breast cancer. Up to 10% of breast cancer cases are due to genetic predisposition.

The genes involved are BRCA1 gene mutations (chromosome 17), BRCA2 gene mutations (chromosome 13), HER2 gene mutation and P53 gene mutation. Genetic test can be done to pick up the mutations. Having a positive family history increases your risk by two-fold if affected 1st degree relative (sister, mother, daughter) got her breast cancer by less than 50 years old. If two first-degree relatives have been diagnosed, your risk is 5 times higher than average.

There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk :

  1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle such as maintain a healthy weight, exercise, avoid alcohol, stop smoking or don’t smoke and eat healthily

  2. More regular and frequent screening (go to your doctor and get a individualized screening program) such as a monthly breast self-exam, a yearly breast exam by your doctor or nurse practitioner, a mammogram every year starting at age 40, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the breast (could be done even before 40) and ultrasound (done before the under the age of 40).

  3. Hormonal therapy medicines. They have been shown to reduce the risk of developing hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer (not receptor negative) in women at high risk. Examples of these are Tamoxifen (reduce the risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in both postmenopausal and premenopausal women), Evista (reduce the risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women), Aromasin (reduce the risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women) and Arimidex (the risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women).

  4. Prophylactic breast removal surgery.
    Every woman’s situation is unique. Talk to your doctor about your personal level of risk and how best to manage it.

Please click on this link (DoctorOnCall) to talk to us privately online and discuss further about your inquiries. Thank you.

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