ANDREA
DIAGNOSIS: Never, to date
GENETICS: Mother and Grandmother had breast cancer
BRCA: Tested positive for mutation
PROCEDURE: Genetic testing
TREATMENT: Age 30, elected to have double mastectomies to prevent diagnosis
CANCER-FREE: Lifetime, previvor
At age 22 Andrea tested positive for BRCA 1 mutation.
At age 30, she elected to have double mastectomies. Andrea already had 2 daughters and the time of her mastectomies, and a few years later had two more daughters.
Not everyone who inherits a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation will get breast cancer but having the mutation significantly increases one’s risk. Being a woman is the #1 risk factor for developing breast cancer.
Usually, genetic testing is recommended if you have a strong family health history of breast and ovarian cancer.
Since the BRCA mutation is inherited, your ancestry may play a role in your risk for having a BRCA mutation. People with Ashkenazi Jewish heritage are at an increased risk for BRCA mutations.
The decision to have double mastectomies did not - and does not dominate her life. On the contrary, it has allowed her to move forward without fear.
The decision to have preventive double mastectomies was very important to Andrea which would nearly eliminate the possibility of developing breast cancer and allow her to focus on being a mom to her four daughters who are now between the ages of 15 and 4 years old.
Andrea is 40 years old and has remained cancer free.
Read No Longer Radical for more stories about women who have had preventive mastectomies.