Breast cancer gene.?

My aunt died of breast cancer when she was only 56 and my grangmother (her mother) died of ovarian cancer when she was only 63. Do you think I'm in a high risk category for the gene? Also, do you know if I can get tested, I live in Ireland.

Breast cancer gene.?
Assuming you are not an Ashkenazi Jew, your risk appears to be 5.6% for carrying either BRCA1 or 2. See tables on this page to doublecheck your family history and ages at diagnosis: http://www.myriadtests.com/provider/brca... Goes up to nearly 16% if Ashkenazi heritage.





This is not high except if Ashkenazi, so generally gene testing not indicated. Can be done in Ireland since testing widely available; if concerned you should seek a qualified genetics doctor or a cancer doc interested in hereditary breast/ovarian cancer.
Reply:I think you're speaking of the BRCA gene. Not all carriers of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations show the same risk for developing breast cancer.





In fact, a new study finds wide variation in risk among families carrying the mutations, indicating that the mutations are influenced by other genetic, and possibly environmental, factors.





"Risk among carriers varies considerably, and, if you accept that that's the case, there must be a reason why it varies, and the most plausible explanation is that there are other genetic factors affecting breast cancer risk that are being passed on through these families," said study author Colin Begg, chairman of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.





More information on risks is below. I'm so very sorry for your losses:


http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/brca...