On Apr 12, 5:11*pm, John H wrote:
On Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:59:35 -0400, BAR wrote:
In article ,
says...
Early detection and treatment of breast cancer is important.

That's a shame about your sisters. I'm sorry for them. It sounds like it could
have been hereditary. There is a test for the gene called the BRAC1 and/or BRAC2
which identify those with a higher probability of developing breast cancer:

"In 1994, the first gene associated with breast cancer - BRCA1 (for BReast
CAncer1) was identified on chromosome 17. A year later, a second gene associated
with breast cancer - BRCA2 - was discovered on chromosome 13. When individuals
carry a mutated form of either BRCA1 or BRCA2, they have an increased risk of
developing breast or ovarian cancer at some point in their lives. Children of
parents with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have a 50 percent chance of inheriting
the gene mutation."

http://www.genome.gov/page.cfm?pageID=10000507

My younger daughter wants to be tested, but there are then problems with
insurance if the tests prove positive. Plus, the tests are expensive as hell.

The bad thing is I have two other sisters who may end up with the same
cancer and then there are my daughters who have breast cancer from both
sides of their families now.

Have they had the BRAC tests yet? My younger daughter feels that if the tests
come back positive, she'll go ahead and have a mastectomy just to stop the worry
about it.

I've known of others who have done the same thing.