MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'brca'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:02:56 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159670&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F22%2Fparp-inhibitor-olaparib-has-activity-in-high-grade-serous-ovarian-cancer-without-inherited-brca1-or-brca2-gene-mutations%2F Researchers affiliated with the British Columbia Cancer Agency reported Phase 2 clinical study results indicating that advanced ovarian cancer, with and without germline (inherited) BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene mutations, responded to treatment with the PARP inhibitor olaparib. The Phase 2 study results were published online in the August 21 edition of The Lancet [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159670 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:39:54 +0100 5159670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5140181&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F18%2Fu-k-researchers-launch-clinical-trial-of-mercaptopurine-6-mp-in-women-with-hereditary-breast-and-ovarian-cancer%2F A Cancer Research UK-funded clinical trial of a new drug for patients with advanced breast or ovarian cancer due to inherited BRCA gene mutations has been launched at the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre at the University of Oxford. A Cancer Research UK-funded trial of a new drug for patients with advanced breast or ovarian cancer [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5140181 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 21:07:56 +0100 5140181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902644&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F04%2F2011-asco-women-with-brca-gene-mutations-can-take-hormone-replacement-therapy-safely-after-ovary-removal%2F Women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, which are linked to a very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer, can safely take hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) to mitigate menopausal symptoms after surgical removal of their ovaries, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, which are linked [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902644 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:16:50 +0100 4902644 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841887&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F19%2Fasco-2011-maintenance-therapy-with-parp-inhibitors-could-play-important-role-in-treatment-of-recurrent-ovarian-cancer%2F A randomized phase II clinical trial showed that the oral PARP inhibitor drug olaparib (AZD2281), given after chemotherapy, improved progression-free survival in women with the most common type of recurrent ovarian cancer. ASCO Releases Studies From Upcoming Annual Meeting – Important Advances in Targeted Therapies, Screening, and Personalized Medicine The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) today [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841887 Thu, 19 May 2011 18:03:58 +0100 4841887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349659&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F14%2Fcaris-life-sciences-launches-molecular-profiling-service-for-ovarian-cancer-patients%2F Caris Life Sciences announces the launch of a new molecular profiling service for ovarian cancer patients Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (Caris), a leading biosciences company focused on enabling precise and personalized healthcare through the highest quality anatomic pathology, molecular profiling, and blood-based diagnostic services, announced the launch of a new, Caris Target Now™ molecular profile [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349659 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 22:11:53 +0100 4349659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259133&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcan-you-afford-to-find-out-if-you-are-at-high-risk-for-breast-cancer%2F Let’s face it: Women who test positive for either of the genetic mutations for breast cancer have an unenviable disadvantage. According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer risk among the general population is about 12 percent, while about 60 percent of women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 will develop breast cancer — that’s five times the risk. Also, the average age for the general population to develop breast cancer is 60, yet the average age of onset in those with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer is in the 40s. If you are in one of these groups, you need to know it. Genetic testing is the only way to determine if you are in either of these high-risk groups. I am a huge advocate for testing since it saved Sister’s life; she had an early hysterectomy that discovered s... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259133 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:16:56 +0100 4259133 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4206054&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=39213&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbeingcancer.net%2F2010%2F11%2F27%2Fthe-brca-decision-guest-post%2F BRCA+ ?? There is a unique sub-group of survivors whose ranks have been slowly growing on the Breast Cancer Blogs page.  This is a group of women, mostly young women, who are faced with the very difficult decision – to opt for an elective mastectomy, not due to any active symptoms nor any laboratory confirmation of a malignancy but rather due to a strong genetic predisposition to later breast or ovarian cancer.  These women have discovered they have a mutation in their BRCA1 or BRCA2 suppressor gene. So as all of us as survivors have been mentally listing life’s graces that we are thankful for, this young blogger has been wrestling with the implication of her recent decision to have a mastectomy.  She writes about her struggle very clearly and touchingly at That Girl…t... Being Cancer Network blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4206054 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:17:21 +0100 4206054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159429&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F11%2Fnew-assay-test-predicts-that-50-of-ovarian-cancers-will-respond-to-in-vitro-parp-inhibition%2F U.K. researchers develop a new test that could be used to select ovarian cancer patients who will benefit from a new class of drugs called “PARP inhibitors.” U.K. researchers have developed a new test that could be used to select which patients with ovarian cancer will benefit from a new class of drugs called “PARP [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159429 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:19:19 +0100 4159429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4023092&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Freal-men-face-their-breast-cancer-risk%2F Breast Cancer Awareness Month always reminds me of my responsibility to promote awareness and early detection to my girlfriends and the women that I know. I seldom consider the possibility of breast cancer affecting the men in my life, although I should, because it is very real. My boys and their cousin (Sister’s son) are at risk for breast cancer for the same reason as my nieces — their mothers are carriers of the breast cancer gene. Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does happen, and there are men at risk who may never get tested. It generally occurs in older men (between the ages of 60 and 70), and it can be due to abnormal estrogen levels or a family genetic predisposition. Breast cancer can also develop in men who have been exposed to radiation. Male breast cancer also comes... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4023092 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:48:09 +0100 4023092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946452&cid=t_126581_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fjamas-breast-and-ovarian-cancer-article-getting-the-facts-straight%2F2010.09.08 Journalist Andrew Holtz has been a colleague for longer than probably either one of us wants to remember. He is currently one of our story reviewers on HealthNewsReview.org. In fact, he was one of the reviewers on four stories we analyzed last week on the same study. He thought there were some important take-home messages that rose above the walls of our formal systematic review, so he wrote this guest blog post, and we thank him for it: The Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association included an article that is likely to have a strong influence on the advice given to women who have a very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer linked to mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Of the four stories we reviewed, only the AP report scored well on our review criteria. I kno... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946452 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:00:38 +0100 3946452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3920792&cid=t_126581_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F197945%2F Before It Starts: Having a preventive mastectomy might reduce the risk of breast cancer in women with a BRCA gene mutation. (via ABC News) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3920792 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:38:49 +0100 3920792 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3862167&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=39213&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbeingcancer.net%2F2010%2F08%2F12%2Fwho-you-gonna-tell-guest-post%2F Here is an interesting post from a blogger who describes herself as “SWF. 23 years old. BRCA 1 +. I’m looking to open up a dialogue for young people like me.” She discusses her choice of anonyminity as a cancer blogger.  I thought this might be a good topic for discussion.  My own experience is that most of the 900 cancer bloggers listed under Cancer Blogs are open about their identity.  Indeed many blogs are designed specifically to distribute current information about their condition to friends and relatives.  On the other hand, the need for privacy, even in the context of a blog, can be a legitimate concern.  Our anonymous blogger writes at The BRCA Diaries Who you gonna tell? So the other day my boyfriend and I are in my apartment entertaining my aunt and cousins... Being Cancer Network blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3862167 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 22:47:09 +0100 3862167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740787&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F09%2Fesmo-clinical-practice-guidelines-regarding-brca-gene-mutations-ovarian-cancer-supportive-cancer-care%2F The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) is the leading European professional organization committed to advancing the specialty of medical oncology, and promoting a multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment and care. …  The ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines include coverage of  (i) BRCA gene mutations in breast and ovarian cancer, (ii) gynecologic tumors, and (iii) supportive [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740787 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:27:51 +0100 3740787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3659119&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcancer-is-a-big-fear-of-breast-cancer-survivors%2F Last week I experienced a bit of an upset stomach that lasted for a few days. It was a flu-like symptom, but I had no fever, aches, or other telltale signs. By the third day I had no explanation for the continued discomfort, so I was convinced I had cancer. My mind always gravitates to the conclusion that I have cancer. This was never the case before I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since that battle, however, I find cancer at every turn. I have been doing a lot of yard work which has put some strain on my right hip. One night I awoke with excruciating pain in the hip joint — immediately I thought that I needed an MRI to find the bone cancer. It took a few minutes to convince myself that sleeping on that hip after a whole day of hard work was the cause. Fear of a new cancer or cancer ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3659119 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:18:40 +0100 3659119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635983&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbeing-proactive-about-a-healthier-environment%2F As part of my healthy life makeover, I am learning about potentially harmful toxins and chemicals in my home and my environment. I watched Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s special report Toxic America on CNN and was surprised to learn that there are over 80,000 chemicals in use in America, but only 200 have been tested. I was further shocked to hear that carcinogenic chemicals in mascara, nail polish, and other cosmetics that have banned from use in Europe are still being used in cosmetics sold in this country. Having the BRCA gene mutation means that the gene that stabilizes DNA and prevents cells from growing out of control is not functioning properly. Without this mechanism, there is a greater chance of developing a breast cancer tumor. This started me thinking that maybe there is something externa... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635983 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:14:47 +0100 3635983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3545592&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffight-like-a-girl%2F At the BRCA conference I attended in Toronto this week, a young woman was sporting a great t-shirt with the pink-ribbon symbol and the words “fight like a girl.” Girls really are the best fighters. I don’t mean the kind of fighting with fists or weapons, nor do I mean the kind of bullying that sadly goes on in school playgrounds. I mean the kind of fighting that changes lives. Girls will stand their ground for their rights, go to war for their children, and fight for their lives when faced with breast cancer. This kind of fighting takes tenacity, willpower, and courage. This t-shirt brought to mind the times I advocated for loved ones and especially how I became a warrior for myself. I can honestly say breast cancer brought out the warrior in me. While the conference itself was beyon... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3545592 Fri, 07 May 2010 21:11:09 +0100 3545592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515578&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fstaying-abreast-of-better-health-practices%2F Steven Narod, MD, is a foremost authority on BRCA cancers. I met him after my genetics team at the University of Michigan referred Sister to him in Canada. Dr. Narod is affiliated with the Women’s College Research Institute in Toronto and is what you would expect from a passionate researcher — quirky and optimistic. Sister has been proactive about her diagnosis and is involved in a study in Canada where she is tested twice yearly; she receives a mammogram in January and an MRI in May. Her goal is to keep her breasts, and aggressive monitoring will identify any sign of a breast tumor early. She also stays abreast (pun intended) of continuing research and findings regarding genetic breast cancers. A hysterectomy two years ago reduced Sister’s risk of both breast cancer and ovarian canc... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515578 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:35:30 +0100 3515578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3508396&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F26%2Fon-the-path-to-early-detection-fox-chase-sloan-kettering-researchers-identify-early-ovarian-cancers%2F Researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center discover early tumors and precancerous lesions in cysts that fold into the ovary from its surface, called inclusion cysts. “This is the first study giving very strong evidence that a substantial number of ovarian cancers arise in inclusion cysts and that there [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3508396 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 04:01:54 +0100 3508396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3501683&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F23%2Fparp-inhibitor-olaparib-benefits-women-with-inherited-ovarian-cancer-based-upon-platinum-drug-sensitivity%2F Olaparib (AZD2281), a new type of cancer drug known as a “PARP inhibitor,” produced promising results in patients with platinum-refractory, platinum-resistant, and platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer linked to an inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. A new type of cancer drug — known as a “PARP inhibitor” — produced promising results in patients with ovarian cancer linked [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3501683 Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:38:57 +0100 3501683 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3494508&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F21%2Fresearchers-identify-a-new-breast-ovarian-cancer-susceptibility-gene%2F German researchers identify a new breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene known as “RAD51C.”  The risk for breast cancer in women with the RAD51C mutation is 60 to 80 percent, while the risk for ovarian cancer is 20 to 40 percent. The discovery 15 years ago that the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 confer high risks for [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3494508 Thu, 22 Apr 2010 03:46:29 +0100 3494508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3440754&cid=t_126581_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2F98Ks46jmexQ%2Fmyriads-of-indecency-ruling-against.html The decision of a US federal judge to rule against the patenting of the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 genes this Monday came as a pleasant surprise after a period of several years when the ability to patent human genome segments within the US legal context has been taken for granted. The ruling - a result of the efforts of the American Civil Liberties Union in conjunction with the Association for Molecular Pathology, individual women and others - was, of course, not welcomed by the commercial company Myriad Genetics, which during the period when it thought it had its patent rights secured has been pestering genetic health service providers in the US and around the world with their absurd claims (by implied threats of massive compensation suits) to world monopoly on predictive genetic testing for breas... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3440754 Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:59:14 +0100 3440754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153592&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2F07%2Felevated-proteins-may-warn-of-ovarian-cancer-but-sufficient-lead-time-predictive-value-still-lacking%2F Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center researchers discovered that concentrations of the serum biomarkers CA125, human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), and mesothelin began to rise 3 years before clinical diagnosis of ovarian cancer, according to a new study published online December 30 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. However, the biomarkers became substantially elevated only [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153592 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:22:08 +0100 3153592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052345&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbeating-cancer-is-a-family-affair%2F This Thanksgiving I did something a little different; I went to Canada to see family. Although they had already had their feast last month, it was really nice to have the time with them. Sister was a little under the weather and hasn’t been sleeping well lately. I think there is a lot going on with her since the hysterectomy to reduce her risk for ovarian cancer. As a BRCA carrier she has taken steps to address her risks for breast and other cancers due to the gene mutation. I have to say I worry about her. I also got to see my niece and her new baby. Nicole also tested positive for the BRCA II gene mutation and having her babies in her twenties is something we have heard can help reduce her risk. More importantly, once she has had all her children she can turn her efforts to other w... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052345 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:53:39 +0100 3052345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2954796&cid=t_126581_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Ffny5naJ4Guc%2F A federal district court ruled today that patients and scientists can challenge patents on human genes in court. And the move allows a lawsuit challenging patents on two human genes associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer to move forward, according to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT), which filed the suit. In a statement, the groups say the filed their suit because the patents are “illegal and restrict both scientific research and patients’ access to medical care.” They also charge that patents on human genes violate the First Amendment and patent law because genes are “products of nature.” “We hope this challenge is the beginning of the end to patents on genes, which limit scientific research, lea... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2954796 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:21:19 +0100 2954796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920446&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdr-kristi-funk-on-breast-cancer-and-genetic-testing%2F I was so blessed to get some time to talk with Dr. Kristi Funk in a phone interview. In my last blog I shared the first part of our interview when I asked her about choosing a lumpectomy over a mastectomy. While she was willing to put forth her thoughts on my questions, Dr. Funk is very supportive of her profession as a whole, indicating that a woman needs to discuss all her options with her own surgeon. Genetic testing for the BRCA gene mutation is one of the biggest advancements recently that we have made in the battle against breast cancer in my mind. So this was definitely an issue I wanted to explore further with Dr. Funk. I know that genetic testing is now being examined by oncologists to help determine the types of treatment to prescribe for a patient with breast cancer, but I wante... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920446 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:49:29 +0100 2920446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2852016&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhen-young-women-have-to-alter-family-planning-because-of-breast-cancer%2F Along with genetic counseling comes the discussion for young women about having children. If someone tests positive for a genetic mutation that makes them predisposed to breast cancer, thoughts immediately turn to treatment and prevention. For women who are younger and have never been pregnant, those thoughts also include how to reduce risks of breast cancer while protecting fertility. I mentioned last week that my niece Nicole is expecting her first child. A couple of years ago she tested positive for the BRCA II mutation, putting an added burden on this childhood survivor of leukemia. While we wait with joy for her baby, we also think about all that that young woman has endured to have this life. She is married to a wonderful, incredibly intuitive and talented young man. They are a beaut... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2852016 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:53:12 +0100 2852016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828432&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fgenetic-testing-for-cancer-could-save-your-life%2F I think it is great that there are Web sites and organizations dedicated to making everyone aware of the genetic risk for breast cancer. Being aware is not enough though. People need access to the test. Unfortunately many insurance companies have stringent rules as to who gets tested. At over $3,000.00 a pop I’m sure they’re just trying to save a little money; they are a business after all. And, at over $3,000.00 a pop, most people who are denied the test by their insurance carrier or don’t have insurance coverage can’t afford it. This is sad, this test can save lives, in fact, this test can save a whole family. It made the difference for my family. I tested positive, which got Sister to get the test, when she tested positive her oldest daughter Nicole got the test.... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828432 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:14:17 +0100 2828432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2725213&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F21%2Fua-research-team-designing-holographic-imaging-system-for-ovarian-cancer%2F University of Arizona researchers Jennifer Barton and Ray Kostuk have received a five-year, $2.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to build the instrument that they hope will one day be used to monitor women at high risk for ovarian cancer. Two University of Arizona [UA] researchers have formed a research team to [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2725213 Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:26:23 +0100 2725213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2725221&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fgenetic-counseling-and-its-influence-on-breast-cancer-decisions%2F Genetic counseling was a choice I made.  I decided to have genetic counseling to determine if I had a genetic predisposition to breast cancer; it was in conjunction with my decision to have reconstructive surgery. My oncologist and I were discussing the options available to reconstruct the breast that had been removed. After having a breast cancer diagnosis I had questions as to whether I should consider prophylactic removal of my other breast to reduce the risk of breast cancer in my remaining breast. He was aware of the other cancers in my family and so suggested that genetic counseling could help me determine the risk for another breast cancer diagnosis. Testing positive for the BRCA II gene mutation created new issues. How my sister would be affected, her girls and my children was the... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2725221 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:46:29 +0100 2725221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2702485&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F14%2Fwomen-often-opt-to-surgically-remove-their-breasts-ovaries-to-reduce-cancer-risk%2F Many women at high risk for breast or ovarian cancer are choosing to undergo surgery as a precautionary measure to decrease their cancer risk, according to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. PHILADELPHIA – Many women at high risk for breast or ovarian cancer are [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2702485 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:45:23 +0100 2702485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2688868&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fconcern-for-your-family-if-you-are-a-brca-gene-carrier%2F Being diagnosed with the BRCA II gene mutation for breast cancer answers a lot of questions for me. For one thing it helps me to understand how I could have been so careful with my health and yet developed breast cancer. I don’t have to wonder what I should have done to prevent it. To some extent we all ask that question after diagnosis wondering how we could have avoided developing the disease, but as my surgeon said “Cancer is not your fault.” I never believed it was, but nonetheless having a predisposition to the cancer still provides me with some insight. It also gives me something more to consider. I have been considering how the hereditary factor may affect my children. I wrote a couple of weeks ago about “the Big Guy” asking me if the cancer I had was ran in th... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2688868 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:08:57 +0100 2688868 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2662627&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F01%2Fnew-study-shows-four-year-window-for-early-detection-of-ovarian-cancer%2F A new study by Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers shows that most early stage ovarian tumors exist for years at a size that is a thousand times smaller than existing tests can detect reliably.  But the researchers say their findings also point to new opportunities for detecting ovarian cancer—a roughly four-year window during which most [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2662627 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:45:36 +0100 2662627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2649245&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F28%2Fvox-populi-libby-well-be-missing-you%2F Vox Populi:  Libby, We’ll Be Missing You. Dear Libby, One year ago today, you left us after an extended battle with ovarian cancer.  You are missed as a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt and a cousin.  You were, and continue to be, a very special family member to your loved ones who remain behind.  [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2649245 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:49:25 +0100 2649245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630337&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fexplaining-hereditary-cancer-to-your-children%2F Yesterday my youngest son, “The Big Guy,” asked me if the cancer I had ran in the family. He is only 18 so we have not alarmed him about the possibility that he could test positive for the BRCA 2 gene mutation for breast cancer. Since Sister and I inherited it from my Dad, there is the possibility that my future grandchildren can inherit it from my sons. My niece Nicole tested positive and is expecting her first child, her younger sister refuses to get tested. I hadn’t expected the question, so I answered as best I could telling him that as he gets older we will get him tested and I would like to start him on a vitamin regime to ensure he has a strong immune system. He could develop prostate or breast cancer if he is predisposed with the gene mutation. It reminds me why w... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630337 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:16:34 +0100 2630337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452341&cid=t_126581_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fat-our-bodies-our-blog-obos-joins-aclu-lawsuit-challenging-breast-and-ovarian-cancer-gene-patents%2F On May 12, the ACLU and the Public Patent Foundation filed a lawsuit against the U.S Patent and Trademark Office, Myriad Genetics and the University of Utah Research Foundation, “charging that patents on two human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer are unconstitutional and invalid.” The suit focuses on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, mutations of which are related to increased risk of breast and/or ovarian cancers. OBOS has joined the suit as a plaintiff, along with Breast Cancer Action and others. Learn more about the suit, the issue in general, and how to sign a statement of support for the effort at Our Bodies Our Blog. Posted in Access, Rights, & Choice, Boobs, Cancer, Ethics, Laws, Legislation, & Courts, Women's Health (Source: Women's Health News) Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452341 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:52:10 +0100 2452341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442555&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F24%2Fgenetic-testing-for-hereditary-breast-and-ovarian-cancers-greatly-underutilized-by-high-risk-women%2F A women’s lifetime breast cancer risk is approximately 13 percent, and her ovarian cancer risk is less than 2 percent.  But women with BRCA1 (BReast CAncer 1) or BRCA2 (BReast CAncer 2) gene mutations may be 3 to 7 times more likely to develop breast cancer, and 9 to 30 times more likely to develop [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442555 Mon, 25 May 2009 01:03:00 +0100 2442555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2415712&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F17%2Fsymptoms-of-ovarian-cancer-remain-relatively-stabile-over-time-as-reported-by-high-risk-women%2F Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reported recently that symptoms of ovarian cancer tend to be relatively stable over time for women who are at increased risk of ovarian cancer based upon family history of cancer or BRCA 1/2 gene mutation. Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, located in Seattle, Washington, recently [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2415712 Mon, 18 May 2009 02:08:18 +0100 2415712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2381062&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fwomen-of-diverse-ethnic-ancestry-have-similar-risk-of-carrying-brca-mutations-as-those-with-western-european-ancestry%2F ” …The study, performed by researchers at Philadelphia’s Fox Chase Cancer Center and Myriad Genetics, Inc., analyzed the prevalence of BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutations in patients of different ethnicities at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. The study included test results of 46,276 women during the ten-year period from 1996 to 2006. Study subjects encompassed [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2381062 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:12:40 +0100 2381062 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326676&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffighting-for-the-breasts-of-the-future%2F We celebrated a family wedding this weekend. It was so wonderful to see my oldest niece Nicole marry a terrific young man. This is especially joyous for us as Nicole survived childhood leukemia and was recently diagnosed with the BRCA II gene mutation. This is the beginning of a new life for her and cancer can’t stop it. Her plan is to have her children before the age of thirty as recommended by her doctors so that she can then review her options to reduce her risk of breast cancer. It is a huge burden for this young woman to carry as she begins her new life. I wrote last week about Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz who at 42 battled breast cancer and is now putting her efforts towards educating younger women about their risk of breast cancer. Our own Suzette Lipscomb battled breast cancer... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326676 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:48:04 +0100 2326676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2299065&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F24%2Froutine-screening-for-hereditary-breast-and-ovarian-cancer-recommended-by-acog-sgo%2F Evaluating a patient’s risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome is an important first step in cancer prevention and early detection and should be a routine part of ob-gyn practice. Those who are likely to have the syndrome should be referred for further assessment to a clinician with expertise in genetics, according to a [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2299065 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:55:32 +0100 2299065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2218535&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F26%2Ftwo-studies-address-risk-reduction-screening-for-brca-12-gene-mutation-carriers%2F “Prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy - removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes–reduces the relative risk of breast cancer by approximately 50 percent and the risk of ovarian and fallopian tube cancer by approximately 80 percent in women who carry a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, researchers report in the January 13 online issue of the [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2218535 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:56:50 +0100 2218535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2129416&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Faccording-to-geneticists-sister-and-i-are-better-off-dead%2F It all sounds so great. The medical community has deemed that we can prevent women from getting cancer. No, it’s not a vaccine, its selective birth. They are suggesting to women that they can have their embryo tested, while in the womb, and destroyed if he or she tests positive for the breast cancer gene defect BRCA I and BRCA II. I guess what comes next is women who have the gene will be mandated to be tested so as not to allow a baby to be born with the predisposition to breast cancer. It won’t stop there. What about people with MS, or people with autism? This is the road to selective birth; perhaps leading to the creation of better humans. Does this mean that Sister and I are now undesirable humans? Basically, those of us who carry the breast cancer gene defect should never have bee... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2129416 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:44:27 +0100 2129416 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1905958&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FAgvRqM1FSok%2F Being diagnosed with a genetic disease, and one that has no cure or treatment, is probably one of most heart-wrenching news ever. To be told that one has Alzheimer’s disease for example, or one is a very high risk or diagnosis of some incurable form of cancer, what does one do? How does one handle it? I read about Christina Applegate’s diagnosis of breast cancer, and her decision to have double mastectomy because of the high risk she carries. She kept it hidden from everyone but the closest family members and her make-up artist. I read of it weeks after her second surgery, and I have to admire her for what she did. She claims to be 100% cancer free after the surgery, and that is cause for a public applaud. Well, new findings at the National Institutes of Health reveal that th... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1905958 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:19:25 +0100 1905958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1883378&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FvRo_X15ST5A%2F Good news for the state of Illinois! Women who are at high risk for developing breast and/or ovarian cancer will receive insurance coverage under Medicaid. Genetic tests for BRCA1 and BRCA2, and counseling will be available for low-income women with a strong family history of breast cancer or previous cancer diagnosis, writes the Chigaco Tribune. Women with mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene are 3 to 7 times more likely to develop breast cancer, and have a 16 to 60 percent lifetime risk for getting ovarian cancer than women without the mutations. Last year, about 22,000 low-income women enrolled in Medicaid were treated for breast cancer. Let’s hope other states follow suit, so more women with very little resources can have themselves tested. What’s not clear from the article, and ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1883378 Fri, 17 Oct 2008 03:09:42 +0100 1883378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1873185&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fdecode-versus-arthur-caplan-phd.html This study isolated 10 SNPs and only 2 SNPs replicated, I don't see the unreplicated ones in the paper. Importantly, this SNP did not replicate perfectly in the Swedes.... The SNP varied widely between ethnicities in the Multi-Ethnic Cohort in the US.......They observed no interaction between the 2 SNPs that replicated in Caucasians.....The effect seems that it could be recessive.....The study even acknowledges that this was a limited effort in finding risk SNPs....."However as the relative risks remain low, they (these SNPs) can only account for a small fraction of the familial clustering of this disease.2. rs4415084 guess what, the same thing happened with this SNP. Only one article, by guess who? deCode. This time in the Brief Communications of Nature Genetics......I look forward to the... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1873185 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:18:00 +0100 1873185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1856097&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FUjvg0Yg14mw%2F It’s already been done with cervical cancer, so why not develop a vaccine for breast cancer? That’s the challenge that Professor Valerie Beral of Oxford University asks the scientific community. The lead scientist in the Million Women’s Study says that the causes of breast cancer have been so well studied that a vaccine or a prophylactic drug is should be a real possibility. Speaking to the UK Guardian, Beral suggested that genes played a part in only a small number of breast cancer. Instead, it’s the processes of birth and breastfeeding that protect a woman from breast cancer more than anything else. It’s interesting that the short-term exposure during late pregnancy and prolonged breastfeeding were postulated to have protective effects against breast cancer ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1856097 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:42:26 +0100 1856097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1856100&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FxJ-sEFoytPA%2F Mothers who tested positive for breast cancer gene are now asking a tough question - should we test the kids? Women with a faulty gene have a three to seven times greater risk of developing breast cancer and a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Men have more risk of prostate, pancreatic and other types of cancer. With insurance now covering for genetic tests and a law banning genetic discrimination, more BRCA gene carrying parents want to know if their kids are carriers too. However, little can be done to prevent or screen for breast or ovarian cancer before age 25, so knowing your genetic make-up would only cause needless worry, advised medical experts. If either parent does have the gene, the child has a 50% chance of inheriting it. So unless the risk of childhood cancer is high, and nothing... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1856100 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:20:43 +0100 1856100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833515&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthink-pink-toilet-paper-streamers-cheerleaders-my-son-and-breast-cancer%2F Last night our house was toilet papered; every tree draped with streams of white. A huge sign was posted on our window highlighting the fact that a “Rocket” lives here. The Rocket is my son; he is a member of the Rocket Football team and the toilet-papering and sign-posting is the work of cheerleaders. It is all in fun for homecoming, with the big game being tonight and the homecoming dance tomorrow. As I watch the games every Friday night, under the lights, I get especially entertained by the enthusiasm of the great bunch of beautiful young women leading the cheers. They are exuberant, healthy and loud! They are also young, with enormous futures ahead of them. I am not a mother of girls, but my boys have had enough friends who are girls and attended enough dances for me to get... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833515 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:34:35 +0100 1833515 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1819389&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=38061&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBreastCancerReconstructionBlog%2F%7E3%2F331329094%2Fbreast-cancer-gene-testing-less-likely.html NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - African American women are generally less likely than white women to pursue genetic testing for BRCA1 or BRCA2, the gene mutations associated with an increased risk of break cancer, researchers report. However, African American women with a recent diagnosis of breast cancer are much more likely to do so, according to the article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology."Everybody deserves consideration for testing if their clinical and family history situation warrant it," Dr. James P. Evans, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told Reuters Health. "Regardless of race, one has to approach genetic testing as an important option and explain the pros and cons to the patient."Evans and associates examined race and the timing of breast cancer diagnosis a... Breast Cancer Reconstruction Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1819389 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:14:27 +0100 1819389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1783012&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhigh-health-insurance-costs-mean-no-vacation%2F Sister is in Italy swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. She and her husband have taken a much-deserved vacation, but who doesn’t deserve a vacation? After five and a half years of marriage I am still waiting for a honeymoon. When I got married I was an immigrant from Canada so I couldn’t leave the country for three months while I was being processed. Then that very summer while we were planning our romantic trip, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and the rest is well-documented on this Life with Breast Cancer blog. I want a vacation and a honeymoon, and I don’t want to take them at the same time. Travel is great fun, but not when you’re sick or recovering. Even the car travel after reconstructive surgery in Baltimore (a ten hour drive from Detroit) was a challenge. Baltimore is a di... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1783012 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:39:47 +0100 1783012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1764337&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fchristina-applegate-ups-the-ante-in-the-fight-against-breast-cancer%2F Last week when the young actress Christina Applegate announced that she had battled breast cancer by having her breasts removed, I was elated that she turned her battle into a crusade to promote MRI screenings and genetic counseling. I was saddened more so by the fact that such a young woman has to be struck with it in the first place. She has been diagnosed as a BRCA II carrier with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. I can write a blog post every day about it, but you know that if a young Hollywood actress is talking about it millions of people are listening. This makes me ecstatic about the possibilities that this may open up, now that Hollywood is taking a stand against cancer. A while back, two Hollywood producers were introduced to each other through their oncologist while eac... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1764337 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:30:18 +0100 1764337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1727809&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F07%2F16%2Fpov-documentary-in-the-family-one-womans-journey-through-the-unpredictable-world-of-predicative-genetic-testing%2F “At the age of 27, filmmaker Joanna Rudnick tested positive for the BRCA mutation. Joanna now faces an impossible decision: remove her healthy breasts and ovaries or risk incredible odds of developing cancer. Armed with a positive test result that leaves her essentially “a ticking time bomb,” she balances dreams of having her [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1727809 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:51:22 +0100 1727809 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1543906&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fburrill-reportdecoded.html Consumers are worried about developing genetic based diseases, but remain reluctant to use genetic tests that will provide early warning signs.That is the lead statement in the executive summary from the Burrill and Company Personalized Medicine and Wellness report issued last week. Many may ask "What's this report have to do with me?" many have even doubted the validity of the report in favor of the blogosphere......In the arena of Genomic Medicine, I would say the blogosphere is pretty one sided.....IN fact, that is why the Sherpa is popular. Until I started blogging, this place was pretty much a mutual admiration society. Further proven by the backlash I received when I said that governmental regulation was coming and then came.So let's go back to the poll.....Second LineCompanies need ... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1543906 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:00:00 +0100 1543906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531887&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-not-just-a-womans-disease%2F I came across an article I saved from the newspaper about a local man’s battle with breast cancer. He found a lump on his breast and subsequently had surgery and chemotherapy like his women counterparts. He continued to coach little league throughout treatment and credits that with helping him deal with the whole thing. In addition to losing his hair, he also lost his mustache. He was fortunate that his wife is a nurse and urged him to see a doctor immediately when he showed her the lump. The article was short; he dealt with it and moved on. As a woman with breast cancer tied up in pink ribbons, it is hard to imagine a man dealing with the disease. It is the one diagnosis that I am sure no man ever expects to hear. The only benefit a man has in this battle is his lack of estrogen; otherw... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531887 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:54:08 +0100 1531887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1480951&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhelpful-tips-for-a-more-relaxing-mri%2F At 3:00am Thursday morning I was woken up by a panic attack. I was thinking about the MRI that was scheduled for a few hours later and it prompted me to recall the claustrophobic atmosphere of the machine. That in turn initiated the panic attack which frightened me more than the thought of the scan. I was able to settle down long enough to fall asleep again for about two minutes before the alarm went off. An MRI scan creates a magnetic resonance image using magnetism and radio waves to provide an image of internal organs. In order to accomplish this, the patient is inserted into a tube that is quite contained and can provoke claustrophobia in the staunchest of people. The benefit is that it gives images no other piece of equipment can and it also emits no radiation, so it is safe. It provi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1480951 Fri, 30 May 2008 21:21:55 +0100 1480951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1443256&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdoes-your-pain-trigger-fear-of-metastasis%2F This month I am going for an MRI and a bone scan on my lower spine. I have been experiencing pain in my lower spine and due to the fact that I’m a breast cancer survivor that had cancer spread to my lymph nodes it has to be thoroughly checked out. That is how cancer has changed my life. I don’t just get to complain about getting old, or laugh off my bent over stature, I have to go get tests! Thankfully, the measures that I have taken since being tested as a BRCA carrier have paid off by reducing my risk of a new breast cancer to only 2.5%, far lower than the normal average. Yet the fear of metastasis is a real one; having had 8 of 11 lymph nodes test positive, I need to stay vigilant even after intense chemotherapy. I revisited my diagnosis with my oncologist yesterday as she wrote a p... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1443256 Wed, 14 May 2008 19:00:03 +0100 1443256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1413591&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fwhy-i-love-genome-technology-online.html I hope everyone who reads this will subscribe to Genome Technology Online (This is not a paid advertisement this is my opinion).Why? If you are asking this, it is likely because you have never received the email newsletter. I am always impressed by their ability to capture the essence of what is going on in the Genome World Daily. They have excellent reports for purchase as well. But frankly, just getting the email everyday makes my heart twitter (I can't get sued for using that word can I?)Today they poke fun at Corporate Genomics and make mention of 2 very well written articles. One over at the Wall Street Journal. Yesterday I took Marilyn Chase to task. Marilyn, please don't get mad. Just give me a call next time you are writing about genome studies. And another story at Portfolio. The ... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1413591 Thu, 01 May 2008 19:07:00 +0100 1413591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1411868&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fgenetic-information-nondiscrimination-act-passed%2F This bill has been 10 years in the making, but last week all the time and effort from those that support the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act paid off. I have written extensively about BRCA genetic testing for breast cancer and how it saved my sister’s life and helped me to decide on a prophylactic mastectomy. I have also encouraged other survivors to get tested. One of the major stumbling blocks for many (justifiably) was the genuine concern that knowing they had a predisposition to breast cancer would also mark them for discrimination from health insurance companies and employers. That fear, my dear friends, is no longer a threat. The passing of this bill means that employers cannot ask for this information, and neither can health insurance providers. In the recent past, if yo... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1411868 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:21:21 +0100 1411868 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1409898&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fnew-brca-and-subsegments-of-segment.html First and Foremost,To all women who have hereditary patterns of Breast Cancer, but have a negative BRCA work up....there is new information which deCode has released in Nature Genetics. I was very excited about this and look forward to some significant replications.From a recent MarketWatch report Common variants previously discovered by deCODE on chromosomes 2q35 and 16q12 are together involved in an estimated 25% of ER+ breast cancers. The analysis in today's paper also reveals that a fourth known set of variants, located on chromosome 10q26 and accounting for approximately 16% of breast cancers, appear to confer risk exclusively of ER+ tumors. deCODE is applying these variants as the basis for a DNA-based reference laboratory risk-assessment test the company plans to launch in the comin... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1409898 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:45:00 +0100 1409898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1404275&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fchoosing-to-pass-on-your-cancer-genes%2F While Sister and I are dealing with the issue of being BRCA carriers, I was asked to participate in a study being done at the University of Michigan about this very subject. The timing of course is conspicuous and is turning genetic testing not only into a current theme for this blog, but also for my life. The research team at the U of M is trying to determine how testing positive for genetic predisposition to breast cancer affects decisions to procreate. For me that point is moot; I have two teenage boys, so the decision was made, and without all the facts I might add. I would not remake that decision differently based on the positive result for BRCAII, but I may have floundered if someone had told me that my sons would not be so adorable once they hit puberty. In fact, if someone were to... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1404275 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:43:52 +0100 1404275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1389294&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbrca-ii-testing-saved-my-sisters-life%2F Many of us breast cancer survivors somehow find a blessing in having been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. Usually the blessing comes in the form of a deeper realization of our selves and an increased desire to impact our world. For me, now, the blessing may very well be my sister’s life. Last Wednesday, Sister went to her surgeon for the follow-up appointment from the hysterectomy in March that she had to lesson her risks of developing breast and ovarian cancer as a BRCA II carrier. Her surgeon discussed the pathology report from the organs that had been removed, and we were shocked by the results. The report showed changes in cells in the fallopian tubes near her ovaries. These changes are consistent with someone who develops ovarian cancer (see image below). It was the doctor�... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1389294 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:13:38 +0100 1389294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1383787&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Faccess-to-brca-testing%2F Without any plan or treatment, a BRCA carrier can have a risk of developing breast cancer as high as 80%. Your risk does not become lower because you haven’t been tested or don’t know about it. In my case and sister’s case, we were offered mammograms at the age of 40 because my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Had she not developed breast cancer no one would have suggested that I be tested for the BRCA genetic predisposition to the disease. I was a carrier regardless and after we discovered that it came from my father’s side of the family, it became clear how important genetic testing actually is. My sister subsequently got tested and now because of her positive results was able to take steps to minimize her risks. When I met with a gynecology oncologist at University ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1383787 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:28:03 +0100 1383787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1367939&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F268841505%2F G&H’s INTERVIEW WITH NAVIGENICS Navigenics approached Genetics and Health for an interview. With so much written about similar genomics companies such as 23andme, Knome, deCODE genetics, I was intrigued to learn more about this company.  In particular, Navigenics appears to be the only company within this industry genre who provides a comprehensive wellness model – a healthcare model that Opaldia, the genetic screening and health surveillance company I founded, endorsed whole-heartedly.  I interviewed Navigenics’ Medical Director Dr Michael A Nierenberg MD, clinical professor of medicine, emeritus at Stanford University to find out what makes Navigenics stand out amongst its competition.  He was most candid in his responses and the company has been open and transparent in ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1367939 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:00:08 +0100 1367939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1363749&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F267691582%2F In this fourth in the series of articles originating from G&H’s exlusive interview with Navigenics’ Medical Director Dr Michael Nierenberg, we look at the whole issue of low penetrance versus high penetrance gene testing.  SNPs are known as ‘low penetrance genes’ where it will only sometimes produce the symptom or trait with which it has been associated at a detectable level. In this case of low penetrance it is difficult to distinguish environmental from genetic factors.    Whereas ‘high penetrance genes’ such as the breast cancer genes BRCA 1 and 2 are those where the trait will almost always be shown by the individual carrying the faulty gene. In this case a BRCA 1 and 2 carrier will have over an 80% chance of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer in thei... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1363749 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:00:12 +0100 1363749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1325548&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flosing-healthy-body-parts-to-stay-alive%2F I think a hysterectomy is a tough surgery on any woman. Even deciding on having the surgery is a tough one. Having to deal with making the decision to cut out healthy parts can’t be easy. For me it truly meant battling breast cancer head on, for Sister it is about preparing for battle that you hope won’t come. Because she tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation, there is the constant looming threat of the disease, so the hysterectomy is just one step in her vigil against breast cancer. Surgery wasn’t easy for Sister, she didn’t come out of anesthetic whistling Dixie, and I think she blames me for making it look easy since I seldom have a problem and wake up looking for the party. She felt sick and queasy and miserable for several days but I am happy to say that she is well on h... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1325548 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:29:26 +0100 1325548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1292366&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fliving-with-brca-breast-cancer-gene-mutation%2F Sister goes for a prophylactic oophorectomy this week. That is the medical way of saying that she is having her ovaries removed because of the increased risk of ovarian cancer she has from being a BRCA2 carrier. She was tested after I was diagnosed with breast cancer and tested positive for the gene mutation. She is determined to keep her breasts however and will just be very vigilant about testing for breast cancer. Ovarian cancer is really more insidious only because there is no standardized testing to catch it at an early stage. In addition, Sister has had a colonoscopy and will continue to get this test on a regular basis. She has an MRI on her breasts yearly and is part of a study monitoring high risk candidates for breast cancer being conducted in Canada. Living with the BRCA II gene... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1292366 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:13:30 +0100 1292366 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1275003&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhen-do-you-stop-being-a-breast-cancer-survivor%2F I have often wondered if the only way to truly be a cancer survivor is to die of something else. It has been almost five years since my diagnosis, and I am still called a breast cancer survivor. What I like about it is that World War II heroes are called survivors and so are Vietnam Vets. I too have survived a battle, it was very personal, but it did threaten my home and my loved ones, if not my country. What astounds me most is the number of women that become survivors every year. It is no longer a title reserved for just a few. The good thing is that we are all surviving; the bad thing is that more and more of us are fighting the battle for our lives. It’s like waking up and finding out you belong to the mob family. You don’t choose it and it will always be a part of who you are. You... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1275003 Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:00:59 +0100 1275003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1255096&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34976&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftalk.dnadirect.com%2F2008%2F02%2F25%2Fny-times-insurance-fears-and-dna-testing%2F Amy Harmon looks at the issue of privacy, fear of discrimination, and the very real repercussions some people are facing as a result of the tension between important medical information and lack of comprehensive legislation to protect patients' genetic privacy. She quotes Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the NIH, “It’s pretty clear that the public is afraid of taking advantage of genetic testing. If that continues, the future of medicine that we would all like to see happen stands the chance of being dead on arrival.” I don't think it's as dire as that, but all of us -- patients, physicians, industry and thought leaders -- need to push for systemic solutions. (Source: DNA Direct Talk) DNA Direct Talk blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1255096 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:59:54 +0100 1255096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1246710&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthere-is-no-one-to-blame-for-my-breast-cancer-diagnosis%2F In my January 25th blog “If I had only known I was a BRCA gene carrier sooner.” I wrote about my extended family and how I could have known sooner that I was a BRCA II carrier if they had only told me. The truth is that although members of my extended family had a suspicion that there was a genetic breast cancer gene mutation in my father’s family, the actual testing didn’t take place until just over a year ago. Sister finally got to the core of the issue. Although we were not informed at that time, neither would it have made a difference in my circumstance. I was diagnosed with breast cancer long before that. I therefore have to let you know that they are fine people who had no intention of allowing me to suffer unnecessarily. In addition, there was such a strong link to cancer th... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1246710 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:26:56 +0100 1246710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1196090&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-world-needs-nicole-a-reminder-about-cancer-genetics-risk-assessment%2F Have I told you about my niece Nicole? She is an amazing young woman. At 4-years-old, she was diagnosed with acute leukemia and suffered a lengthy treatment protocol. Her teenage years had her battling with the after effects of treatment but that in no way impinged on her ability to be a leader in her school and a peer counselor. She developed a love of music and a passion for African orphans. She spent her school breaks volunteering in an orphanage in Africa and only tolerated a year at university before she gave in to the desire to live among the children in the orphanage halfway around the world. They were so delighted they helped build a mud hut all her own for her to live in. One of her jobs was to name the young children that were brought to the group of huts and buildings that made ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1196090 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:05:38 +0100 1196090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1179324&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fif-i-had-only-known-i-was-a-brca-carrier-sooner%2F What if I had known earlier that I was a target for breast cancer? Would that have impacted my decisions? You bet! I would not have put off that one mammogram for an additional six months while I moved, I would not have taken birth control in my forties; I would have opted instead for a hysterectomy or oophorectomy. Would that have been enough to prevent the diagnosis? I can’t answer that for sure, but perhaps it would have allowed cancer to get only as far as the ducts in my breast, known as insitu, or stage 0. This week I found out that I could have known for certain that I was a genetic candidate for breast cancer with a very high risk of developing the disease. I could have known about this years before diagnosis. Sister had a conversation with a cousin who was well aware of the fami... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1179324 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:05:09 +0100 1179324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1162085&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftaking-supplements-for-breast-cancer%2F In June I blogged about Sister’s visit to a genetic counseling team regarding the BRCA II gene she shares with me. The topic came up again as I considered my resolutions for the 2008 New Year. Of course one of my resolutions is to take great care of myself, take supplements eat healthy, blah, blah, blah. Well, this lead me to review the information we got from that team at Women’s College hospital in Toronto. The team was referred to us by the University of Michigan genetic team so we feel pretty secure in following their guidelines. While reviewing the supplements they recommend, I decided to do this blog and remind you about them. I want to reiterate that these supplements are what the lead scientist in the world for BRCA gene carriers, Steven Narod, strongly recommends to help reduc... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1162085 Sat, 19 Jan 2008 07:44:07 +0100 1162085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1142793&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwhen-faith-isnt-enough%2F My faith in God is my greatest asset. Over most of my life, I have learned that my life is in His hands and He is a compassionate and loving God. My spiritual life is strong and I readily share it with others. My humanity is the part of me that reminds me of my weakness and keeps me humble and aware of my mortality. I believe all that the Bible says, but I know in my heart that there are no promises that I won’t have trials, illness and tragedy over my life to deal with. I have had to learn through and because of breast cancer to be less strong. I have had to learn to be human and allow room for my fears. It is because of my fears and my greater need of God that I have learned more about Him and grown deeper in Him. Many come to a belief in God through illness, my illness came at a time ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1142793 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:45:58 +0100 1142793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1140977&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F214245847%2F   Breast awareness and regular checking are important in early detection of breast cancer Further to my articles on the BRCA breast cancer genes, an American and Danish study has found the risk of developing cancer amongst carriers of the BRCA1 and 2 breast cancer gene mutations varies greatly.  The risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers has been examined in many studies, but relatively little attention has been paid to the degree to which the risk may vary among carriers.  This knowledge of risk is important when deciding cancer treatment and prevention. The study lead Dr Colin Begg of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York genotyped 2,098 women for mutations in BRCA1 and 2 genes.  The women were participants in the Women’s Environmental Cancer an... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1140977 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:26:35 +0100 1140977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1084240&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F198284565%2F Nature Genetics has published a report by scientists in US and Sweden who have discovered how a variant of the BRCA 1 gene helps breast cancer to grow by knocking out a tumor suppressor gene called PTEN. The link between BRCA 1 and breast cancer was established 10 years ago but questions have been asked as to why this gene causes breast cancer. PTEN is a key tumor suppressor gene which is knocked out in breast, brain and prostate cancers. PTEN mutations are second only to p53 as being the most frequently present in all cancers, affecting about 30% of them. Once a cell loses PTEN it has growth advantages over its neighbours and starts on the road to cancer. PTEN mutations increase the activity of various proteins via the PTEN/P13K pathway to promote tumor growth. The scientists examined... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1084240 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:25:13 +0100 1084240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1005435&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhow-did-you-decide-between-a-lumpectomy-and-mastectomy%2F When my doctor advised me that the margins of the breast tumor weren’t clear after my lumpectomy and that I would need a mastectomy, I thought what choice do I have? I guess I thought it out loud because he told me that several women say that they would rather die than lose their breast. He then told me that most of them return to his office and decide on mastectomy after thinking about the option. Years ago, most women didn’t have the option. Once breast cancer was discovered a mastectomy was scheduled. In many instances this involved a radical mastectomy that removed the lymph nodes and muscle at the same time. Thank heavens for more current research that shows that a lumpectomy in most instances is just as effective and a modified or partial removal of only the affected lymph nodes ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1005435 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:53:13 +0100 1005435 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=993226&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F177627476%2F It’s the last day of Breast Awareness month, so I thought this post would be quite apt! This year sees the tenth anniversary of the discovery of breast cancer gene BRCA2! According to estimates of lifetime risk, about 13.2% of women will develop breast cancer, compared with estimates of 36% to 85% with an altered BRCA2 gene.  So, if you have an altered BRCA2 gene you’re 3-7 times more likely to develop breast cancer than women without the gene. The groundbreaking discovery has given women with a family history of the disease real reason to celebrate with the greatest gift of all - extending lives and proactive choices about their care. For further information on the BRCA genes and BRCA testing visit: www.myriad.com and www.opaldia.com Elaine Warburton Share This (Source: Ge... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=993226 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:06:46 +0100 993226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=988561&cid=t_126581_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Finheriting-an-increased-risk-for-breast-cancer-from-your-father%2F Sister and I have just found out that my mother is not a carrier of the BRCA2 gene mutation that increases our risk for breast cancer. What this means is that we inherited this gene mutation from our father. My dad passed away after a battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but he would be heartbroken to think of his daughters dealing with this disease. Genetics testing can reveal if you have an increased inherited breast cancer risk. I started getting yearly mammograms at the age of 40. This was determined by my doctor because my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, I felt that my mother had developed breast cancer through long term Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) as there was no history of breast cancer in either her mother’s or father’s family. It wasn’t unti... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=988561 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 22:48:40 +0100 988561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=893315&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Fjust-saw-bracanalysis-ad-on-abc-7.html First off, please vote on my site. "How Much Would You Pay For Your Genome! For those of you who live in the Greater New York Metropolitan Area. You are in for a treat! I just saw the confusing, puzzle like ad for BRACanalysis (The BRCA tests by Myriad)Do you remember those tile shifting puzzles where you have to move all the pieces the right way to get a clear picture. This is actually a perfect metaphor for this ad. It shows women of every race and age all in blocks. The boxes look exactly like the aforementioned puzzle.Each woman says a different thing and they all blend together. From "My mother has breast cancer" to "my father's sister has breast cancer" they make it seem that all breast cancer can be detected by this test. The commercial states BRACanalysis B. R. A. C. "Be Ready Agai... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=893315 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 02:18:00 +0100 893315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=687106&cid=t_126581_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fforbes-and-genetics-part-4.html This study was published before the Forbes article and they easily could have mentioned all of these genes in one part. But they did not. Why? I think it has to do with the ties to deCODE. But that's just the conspiracy theorist in me.I have an issue with this quote-"It is the strongest diabetes-promoting gene yet discovered."Wow!! In what population? There are other genes in populations not northern European that have higher risk. This statement is almost false!!! Frankly I think we should take a point away from Forbes for this. But I won't.Sherpa 4 .... Forbes 3The Sherpa Says: I love how the media mixes true things into their agenda. It is a sneaky way to appear factual and credible. If they would have to submit these things to peer review before publishing, then we would have a differe... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=687106 Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:24:00 +0100 687106