posted by Karolina
09 October 2024
My Mom
Last reply:
10 October 2024 15:01
Hello,
My Mom was recently diagnosed with Luminal B breast cancer. She is in Poland, so very little support from health service there. The cancer is now widely spread to her lungs, lymphnodes and bones. I have two questions, I hope you don't mind.
1. Do me and my sisters and daughter need to be tested for BRCA?
2. Any advice on how to guide my children through this? I've been back and forth between Poland and Ireland and they are finding it quite difficult with Mummy gone and really worried about their grandma too. Any advice would be appreciated
Thank you
Dear Karolina.
Thank you for posting on our online forum. I am sorry to read about your mother’s diagnosis of breast cancer. I am sure that this is a difficult time for you as a family.
Firstly, I would like to address your query about testing for a BRCA gene variant. There are certain criteria required to perform genetic testing. These criteria can include young ages at diagnosis, several relatives on one side of a family having a certain pattern of cancers and particular features of a cancer. If these criteria are met, a referral for review to a cancer genetics clinic should be sent. If your mother’s medical team feel that testing is indicated, she should be the one to test first, as she is the person affected by breast cancer. If she were to test positive for a BRCA variant, then you and your siblings would have a 50% chance of inheriting it and should therefore, be referred for predictive genetic testing. I have attached more information on genetic testing here.
Children are very resilient, but we recommend that you are honest with them. I have attached a link to our ‘Talking to Children about Cancer’ webpage.
We recommend the following:
Karolina, if you would like to talk to a nurse, please call our support line. The number is 1800 200 700 and we are here Monday-Friday, from 0900-1700.
Kind regards,
Cancer Nurse