The BRAC genetic test came back yesterday. Good news is that I tested negative, and the odds of my brothers carrying this gene are slim to none. If I, the chick with the breast cancer, don't have the gene, then my brothers wouldn't be carriers. This news is great because I was worried about my three nieces and their future. Obviously something was wrong with my mom's DNA and now mine that caused the both of us to get breast cancer at such a young age. However, the BRAC gene isn't the link.
Now that I know I'm not carrying this mutation, it makes my decision much harder. If it came back positive, then I was going to without a doubt have a double mastectomy. I am not so sure now. I don't want to have major surgery(ies) because I could likely get breast cancer in Lefty or a reoccurrence in Righty. I was frightened of breast cancer all my adult life and didn't get a mastectomy before. Mastectomy isn't like getting a thyroid removed and would involve a handful of follow-up surgeries, which is something I don't like unless I have no choice. I seem to still have a choice now.
My breast cancer is showing all the characteristics of kind of a pussy cancer: Stage 1c, ER+, PR+, Her2-, Grade 2, 2 cm and now BRAC 1 and 2 negative. Those are some fairly good stats there. Most women my age who are diagnosed with breast cancer aren't that lucky. Either road I take, it's not going to be an easy one and I just wish the answer was clear to me. Like, I'm driving down 79 and come across a billboard that says, "Lara, do the radiation and chemo route," or, "Mastectomies are for winners!" Something.
No, it's not that easy apparently. I have to talk this to the death (pardon the morbid language) to see what are my best odds of living a long time. If I don't seem like a normal 30 year old after this, it's because I have conversations like these. Oye.
Come on, Oncotype. You're next.
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