The Cancer Queens

Just because breast cancer awareness month is over doesn't mean our b***s don't need our attention. Self exam and check your b***s ladies!! It may just be the thing that saves your life. Check out this instructional guide below.

Hey guys

So I thought it would be important to outline some genetic mutations that can predispose both men and women to increased breast cancer risk. This is super important to know because knowledge is power. And when you do have a genetic predisposition to developing certain cancers such as breast, then screening can start sooner and be more frequent. So what genetics predispose you? What do you do if you have a prominent family hx? What will a genetic counselor do? And if I do have a genetic mutation where do I go from here?

The most common genetic mutations you hear about are BRCA1 and BRCA2. Keep in mind though, only 5-10% of breast cancers are in fact inherited. Having a mutation in these genes basically means your risk for developing breast ca is 50-85% by the age of 70. That being said BRCA1 and 2 are totally different genes that code for 2 totally different proteins. The main difference is that BRCA1 holds with it a higher risk of ovarian cancer. If you are BRCA1 your lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer is 40-45% compared to 10-20% risk in BRCA2.

CHEK2 is another mutation that causes breast cancer. It also causes Li-Fraumeni syndrome which is a rare heriditary disorder that predisposes patients to many different cancers. There have been associations between this syndrome and breast cancer. Woman with CHEK2 mutation have a lifetime risk of 37% of developing breast cancer.

Other more rare genetic disorders that can increase your risk of developing breast cancer are; cowden syndrome caused by mutation in PTEN gene, hereditary diffuse gastric cancer caused by mutation in CDH1 gene, Li- Fraumeni syndrome, and Peutz-Jegher syndrome caused by mutation in STK11.

Ok now that you have that info. You need to asses your family tree. You also need to know that the medical professionals that can help you assess if you should go for genetic testing are your family doctor, a breast surgeon, and a genetic counselor. You most likely should get genetic testing done if; you have first degree relative with breast cancer diagnosed before age 50, you have a side of the family which has positive history of breast and ovarian cancer, you have a relative with triple negative breast cancer, you are ashkenazi jew, if you diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 35, other cancers run in your family in addition to breast such as prostate, and if there is a man in your family with breast cancer. After assessing your risk based off of your family history your doctor will refer you to a genetic counselor within your health network. The genetic counselor will meet with you to discuss your family history and based off of that test you for the specific mutations.

Once that is complete and you find out you have a mutation. It is important to meet with a breast surgeon. A breast surgeon will start screening you early and every 6 months. Also knowing your genetic mutation can dictate treatment options such as radiation, mastectomy options, and targeted treatments. Once you know this information the most common way of screening high risk patients is to start with ultrasound and mammogram, and from there you alternate every 6 months with MRI of the breast being the next exam, followed by mammo after that, and so on and so on. You should also be meeting with your breast surgeon on regular intervals. It is also important to assess your risk for ovarian cancer once you know your mutation, and meet with a gynecologist oncologist, this is a special branch of gynecology that deals specifically with gyn surgery and cancers. They will be able to consult with you and determine if a hysterectomy and oophorectomy which is basically fancy words for taking out your ovaries and uterus should be part of your treatment plan.

This is a lot of information. But with me being BRCA1, I realized throughout my journey, how important it is to know this. Knowledge is power, and many people do not know where to start on this journey. Hope this helps some people who are concerned and may want to take a deeper look at their family tree and discuss genetics with their doctor.

Natalie and Sarah finished at the Making Stride’s for Breast Cancer walk in Parisippany. They got this!

Hi Cancer Queens

We are Natalie Rivera and Sarah Shebel, the Cancer Chics. Our mission with The Cancer Queens is to help build a community for the 35 and younger breast cancer patient. Through our collective journeys we have experienced so much that we want to share with all of you. We realized how hard it was to find resources and valuable information in one collective place. Our mission is to build a community and provide a valuable haven for information, products, and storytelling. Join us on our journey to celebrate life and help us build a community, where our stories are told.