>>> DR.
JAY K. HARNESS: A question was recently submitted from a very anxious person who is unfortunately
going through the experience of watching her mother die from stage-4 breast cancer.
This is obviously a traumatic event for anybody, but particularly to see this happening to
your own mom.
So my heart clearly goes out to that person.
But what sets in and what I sense from the email that she sent us at BreastCancerAnswers.com
was despite all of the fantastic things she is doing to screen herself, she is still considering
prophylactic mastectomies because of frankly the trauma and the horror of watching her
poor mom die of stage-4 breast cancer.
I really get and understand that trauma.
I really get and understand the fear that is going through this person.
This person has also shared with me that she is having her mammograms done on a regular
basis, that she is not so hard having MRI examinations done.
She has got a lifetime GAIL risk score that’s low, around 19% or so.
She had a very distant relative who also had breast cancer.
And so if you look at the overall data on breast cancer from the American Cancer Society,
and we talked about one in eight risk, the fine print, the asterisk that should go with
that says, “Yeah, you’ve got a one on eight chance of developing breast cancer,
but you got to live to be age 94.”
So the lovely lady who has sent us this very passionate and concerning email is thinking,
‘Well even though the odds are not overwhelming that I am going to have breast cancer, I am
so frightened by the disease.
I am seriously considering prophylactic mastectomies.”
I don’t give specific advice here at BreastCancerAnswers.com but I would make this plea to the person:
One, be in the hands of a high-end breast imaging center and a group of physicians,
which it sounds like you already are, that are on top of the latest technologies to screening
for breast cancer; and number two, remember that if you should develop breast cancer,
literally over the rest of your life, that it’s going to be detected early and very
treatable with your undergoing regular screening.
The issue of prophylactic mastectomies — I have dealt with this before here at BreastCancerAnswers.com.
Yes, it does take away a lifetime risk if a person like the one who has sent us the
email was gene positive and she is not, then you would reduce your lifetime risk of dying
of breast cancer by 95% but nothing is ever 100%.
I never personally recommend prophylactic mastectomies to patients.
Patients come to me requesting them.
If it makes sense in those set of circumstances, I am not at all reluctant to perform the procedure.
But I wouldn’t let this stressful time of watching a mother die of breast cancer, prompt
anybody into wanting to go and have prophylactic mastectomies.
Please instead, seriously consider staying in the hands of a very competent team of people
and it sounds like that’s what you are doing, and then hopefully make the right decision
for you and I hope this overview is helpful for you and bless you during this very difficult
time.
Susan Denver: I am a breast cancer survivor.
Katherine Stockton: I am a breast cancer survivor.
Coree: I am a breast cancer survivor.
Susan Denver: And I want every woman to know…
Katherine Stockton: …about personalized breast cancer treatment…
Susan Denver: …and the genomic test.
Coree: A test that helps guide a woman and her doctor…
Katherine Stockton: …to the best treatment options for her.
Susan Denver: Pass it on!