The BRCA Gene: What You Should Know About Breast Cancer Risk And Genetic Testing
I am not thrilled.
That was the first thought that came to mind during my recent appointment for a mammogram, especially after the ultrasound technician insisted on smashing my boobs between the machine's two plates like my breast was a Panini.
“Ma'am, they don't flatten," I finally managed to utter as I held my breath.
That remark must've earned me a referral because there I was in another doctor's office. I swear the technician had adjusted the knobs on the mammography machine until a speck appeared on the image. It was no secret I was already prone to cysts, usually harmless fluid-filled masses that randomly develop on either side. Doctors say they could come from one too many caffeine beverages, like my daily venti caramel frappuccinos, but they are unsure of the actual cause. I've had several cysts aspirated and analyzed throughout the years, and the results have always come back benign, or non-cancerous.
Still, my doctors were concerned because I'd lost my mother to breast cancer when she was only 46. She had received her second diagnosis earlier that same year.
Because of my family history and my issues, the breast specialist asked me if I would be interested in taking the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic test.
I had never heard of it but she explained that it was used to see if I possibly “inherited" breast cancer from my mother. BRCA1 and BRCA2 refer to breast cancer susceptibility genes, which repair cell damage and help our breast cells grow normally. Any variation in these genes can increase the likelihood of developing both breast and ovarian cancers. The genetic test screens for the mutations, which can be passed from one generation to the next.
The breast specialist also warned me that the test was costly and that most times insurance companies refuse to cover it. But since I fell within the high-risk parameters, I didn't have to pay anything out-of-pocket. There are also a few at-home testing options, ranging from $99 to $249.
The in-office genetic screen is administered as either a blood test or the “swish" test. I opted for the latter, which required me to rinse my mouth and spit the Scope-like solution back into a cup. My doctor would then send it off for an analysis. But I had to wait an hour because I was chewing gum and remnants of anything in the saliva could skew the results.
I called a friend to pass time. “Are you f--king crazy?" she asked. “Why'd you wanna do that? I'd just wait and take my chances."
I was initially taken aback and wanted to ask her how it was crazier than opting to play roulette with my life if I didn't have to.
But I kind of understood her reaction. I knew another young lady only a few years older than me who was in my predicament – a family history and abnormal breast imaging – but she outright refused the test. She wasn't prepared for bad news and everything that could come with it, like treatment and mortality.
However, I was already being pricked every few years or so and I played the five-day wait game to hear my results. I can't say I was used to it but it sort of became routine for me, although an uncomfortable one.
I had done my research. I knew the statistics.
1 in 8 women would receive a breast cancer diagnosis in her lifetime.
Breast cancer is more likely to affect white women but if black women are diagnosed with it, we're more likely to succumb to it sooner rather than later, especially if it's the more aggressive triple negative breast cancer that tends to strike us. I committed it all to memory.
Yet, I decided to be proactive and figure out how to prevent the disease if necessary, than be diagnosed with it later on and worried sick about my survival.
I was going to take the test and my results like a G.
I waited about a week for a callback. My test results detected “no known mutation." However, it didn't mean that I never have to worry about breast cancer; it only meant that I didn't inherit “bad genes" and my chance of developing the disease isn't any more than the average woman.
Still, I was subjected to a technician twisting my boobs into obscene angles because of the pesky cyst that was too deep within dense tissue to aspirate. But just not as frequently as I would had my test results been unfavorable.
Granted, it may seem like the BRCA genetic test was a waste of time and money because, ultimately, I still have to undergo the usual screenings regardless of the outcome. But there have been amazing strides in research and technological advancements. For example, the BRCA1 and BRCA2 test was once only useful for women of Jewish descent. But in 2015, the American Cancer Society published a study that found that 12.4% of the young black women (meaning under 50) who had the aggressive triple negative breast cancer, also had the mutation. It's the type of information that could help save their daughters' lives.
But while the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic test results aren't always definitive for all forms of breast cancer, it still proves to be an invaluable tool for black women and it does offer some insight into the future state of our breast health.
For more information on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic screen, or to determine whether the test is right for you, consult with your physician first.
Featured image by Shutterstock
- BRCA1 gene - Genetics Home Reference - NIH ›
- BRCA Genes and Breast Cancer - YouTube ›
- Genetic Test Results: What to Do if You've Tested Positive ›
- BRCA Genes - 23andMe ›
- 10 Things to Know About BRCA Genes | Texas Oncology ›
- BRCA: The Breast Cancer Gene - National Breast Cancer Foundation ›
- BRCA1 and BRCA2 | Susan G. Komen® ›
- BRCA mutation - Wikipedia ›
- BRCA gene test for breast and ovarian cancer risk - Mayo Clinic ›
- BRCA Mutations: Cancer Risk and Genetic Testing Fact Sheet ... ›
I write about lifestyle and women's health and wellness. When I'm not in front of a computer screen crafting stories, I'm in a kitchen crafting cocktails. Follow me on the 'gram @teronda.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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