You may want to discuss genetic testing with your doctor if any of the following scenarios apply to you:
You have two or more blood relatives -- mother, sister, aunt, cousin, or daughter -- with premenopausal breast cancer or ovarian cancer diagnosed at any age.
You have been diagnosed with breast cancer, especially if it was diagnosed before you reached menopause, you have a blood relative with breast or ovarian cancer, or if you cancer in both breasts.
You have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and you have blood relatives who have had ovarian or breast cancer.
You are related to someone (male or female) who has a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.
You are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and you have blood relatives who have had breast or ovarian cancer, or you have had breast or ovarian cancer.
What Are my Options if I Have a "Cancer Gene?"
Women in high-risk categories (first-degree relative with breast cancer, personal history of breast cancer, prior abnormal breast biopsy results with atypical ductal hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ) and carriers of the genes associated with breast cancer may want to consider starting regular breast cancer screening at age 25 or 10 years earlier than the age of the youngest person with breast cancer at the time of their diagnosis.
Some women choose preventive (prophylactic) mastectomy to decrease the chances of developing breast cancer, although this doesn't offer complete protection.
Another approach includes using the anti-estrogen drug tamoxifen or raloxifene (also known as Evista), a drug used to treat osteoporosis, to help prevent development of breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. Symptoms include a lump in the breast or underarm area, nipple pain, change in breast size or shape, an inverted nipple, nipple discharge, and breast skin changes. Treatment may involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, or surgery.
The breast generally refers to the chest, however, more specifically, to the mammary gland. The mammary gland is a milk producing gland comprised largely of fat. Within the mammary gland is a complex network of branching ducts. The ducts exit from sac-like structures called lobules, which can produce milk in females. The darkened area around the nipple is called the areola. Common medical concerns in regard to the breast include breast lumps, breast cysts, breast cancer, and breast infections.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Lifestyle changes, a healthy antioxidant-rich diet, exercise, and weight reduction can help reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. It's important to be aware of how risk factors such as family history, lifestyle factors, breast conditions, radiation therapy, and hormonal factors may influence your chances of developing breast cancer. Mammography and breast self-examinations are crucial steps in breast cancer prevention.
Your health care provider may refer you to a genetic professional. Universities and medical centers also often have affiliated genetic professionals, or can provide referrals to a genetic professional or genetics clinic. Genetic counseling provides patients and family members the tools to make the right choice in regard to test for a disease or condition.
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