Friday, April 18, 2008

Would YOU want to know?

Bubba's Mom's oncologist is trying to arrange for her to have the test to determine if she has the breast cancer gene mutation. Heredity accounts for about 10% of all breast cancers, and abnormal BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes explain a large number of these cancers. Bubba's Mom is the only one in her family lineage (that she knows of) to have breast cancer, but since she was originally diagnosed at a young age (37) and has now had it three times, it is worth testing to know if she does have that gene mutation. It is an expensive test - about $3000 - but her doctor is trying to have her tested as a case study so there will be no cost to her.

If it turns out that Bubba's Mom DOES have the gene mutation, then there is a 50% chance that I have it, too. If I have it, there is up to an 85% chance that I will develop breast cancer before I am 70. It also means that I could pass it on to my daughter.

There are a lot of opinions on this matter, and I already know how I feel about it. My question to you is: Would you want to know if you had the breast cancer gene mutation?

9 comments:

Stacey said...

Yes, I think so....I've thought about it. I'm not opposed to knowing and to be honest, I'd just get them gone. But I can understand the other way as well, it's just my personal thinking.

I know it's not even close to the same attachment, but I'm actually fine with having the complete historectomy. I didn't have the 'incomplete' issues some of my friends dealt with. To me, it was just a relief to have that fear gone too. xoxo

Patois42 said...

I'm going to have to say yes here, too. I'm a firm believer that knowing is always better than not knowing. I don't know how it would change my life, though, or if my life would change.

Katie Lady said...

Yes, absolutely. But Bubba wouldn't, I'm sure. He'd rather not know things, and claims you shouldn't go to the dr. because they only find things wrong with you.

D... said...

You know I would. I'd rather be proactive than reactive in that situation. In our day & time, cancer is so prevalent. I would want to explore my options before I had to.

I certainly pray your mom's dr. pulls this off.

Misty DawnS said...

I think I would want to know. As D said - then you would be more proactive to the situation. I'm not a fan of so many unknowns, so, yes, I'd want to know.

cjm said...

I'm going with yes, too. I think you could be more prepared/proactive and hopefully have a better chance at fighting. If the question were regarding something with no treatments I suspect my answer would be different.

Jenny86753oh9 said...

Yeah...I think I would want to know. I'm constantly dealing with my body attacking itself anyway(one of them dang autoimmune disorders)...so to not be surprised for once would be nice.

Hope B/M's doctor can pull it off!

StaceyG said...

I'm in the "yes" camp too.

david mcmahon said...

It's a huge moral dilemma, but I'd say yes.

I have my fingers crossed for all three of you.