Good Point

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Re: Christina Applegate: Why She Had a Double Mastectomy: Christina Applegate: Why She Had a Double Mastectomy May 26, 2009 5:19 AM In response to: harpobear

by: mhoya

Hello, I was diagnosed with BRCA-2 in May 2007 at the age of 45, and also had a pre-cancer positive biopsy. I had a double mastectomy in July 2007. My sister Bonnie, who was a year older than me, died of breast cancer in 2004. My sister Kim is a year younger than me, she had a double mastectomy in May 2007 for active breast cancer. My sister Kim is being treated at U of M, Michigan, for Cowden's disease, which is a rare genetic mutation that can cause breast cancer, among other cancers. I was asked to come out to U of M to be tested for the Cowden's disease. My doctor felt I should be tested for the BRCA mutation, which I did and it came back positive. I called U of M after to tell them the results of the BRCA test, they didn't believe me until they saw the results for themselves....you see Cowdens and BRCA very RARELY run in the same family, they know only a handful of cases worldwide. I asked U of M if they would have checked me for the BRCA or just the Cowden's, they were honest and said that they would never have thought to test me for the BRCA, because of the family history of Cowden. I thank God my doctor, Dr. John Slaim, had me tested for the BRCA, I would have fell through the cracks of rarity, he really did save my life. I had the Cowden's test done and was negative. I would have walked away from the hospital thinking that I dodged a bullet, only to have been diagnosed months later with full blown breast cancer. If there is anyone out there that are dealing with a genetic mutation in the family, I hope this makes them aware that they may have to take other genetic tests before they rule out a negative mutation for breast cancer!
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