Angelina Jolie had a prophylactic double mastectomy

[Mom-ninja.]

Sis, I'm so sorry about your sister. :grouphug:

[zimom]

 

What is the cost of having the test, if you know and are willing to share?

 

My understanding is the full test will be over $3500. I THINK I will need the full test versus the smaller one since my Mom is no longer here to be tested first. She was diagnosed in her 30s as well as other family members that are no longer living.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3037261/

 

Finally found the NIH article I origally read about Myraid and their patent on the BRCA gene testing, costs, etc... Probably much more then most of you want to know.

[Melissa in Australia]

Anybody know why the enter key no longer works on this forum???

I asked the same question the other day and someone said it is the latest Internet Explorer update. I have no idea if this is correct or not. My enter key works everywhere else fine.

[Guest]

 

My mom's test was originally going to be $4,000 but they were able to isolate the specific test to the BRCA1 and that test only ran $475. In the end, Medicare picked up most of it and she paid $35. I have no idea if my insurance will cover my test or not. I'm waiting to hear. If the test is under $400 they will just run it and bill me. If it's over that, they'll contact me and let me decide. I gather it can vary depending on what you're testing for and who does the testing, but I could be wrong.

 

Thanks. That's really sad (that it can be so expensive). :(

[RebeccaS]

 

Thanks. That's really sad (that it can be so expensive). :(

 

Yeah...my mom was fortunate because her sister had already been tested and they isolated which gene with her test. She, however, had to go with the full panel and the full price. :(

[Guest amaria5]

I am sorry you didn't get more time with him.

[Catwoman]

Reported the last 2 posts to this thread.

 

Idiots. :glare:

[Moxie]

Can I just say, THIS is "raising awareness". All the stupid "save the ta-tas" shirts, all the dumb stuff on FB does nothing. I'm so glad she is speaking out and I really hope AJ takes a look at Obamacare and lobbies to have more testing and treatment covered.

[Slartibartfast]

I asked the same question the other day and someone said it is the latest Internet Explorer update. I have no idea if this is correct or not. My enter key works everywhere else fine.

It works on our laptop but not the desktop (which is newer) they do have different versions of IE on them.

 

 

Edited: I switched to Chrome and it works fine. It seems that it is IE that is the problem

[Slartibartfast]

Sis, I'm so sorry about your sister. :grouphug:

Thank you.

[umsami]

 

 

I find human gene patenting beyond awful. How dare a corporation say they own me.

http://www.bcaction....gene-patenting/

 

Yes. Roentgen never patented x-rays, and donated the money from his Nobel.

Polk never patented the polio vax.

 

Glad she made it public. No doubt a few more women will get tested who might not have....and some lives will be saved.

[Spy Car]

Reported

 

[Audrey]

I do not agree with her decision or reasoning and I would not do it. If she has the gene, the cancer will find its way, breasts or no. Or, it won't. It is all still a crapshoot.

 

That said... it is her body and I am glad that she is fortunate enough to have both the money to afford the high level medical testing and treatment she desires and, to have a partner who does not try to stand in the way of her decisions about her body.

[Catwoman]

I do not agree with her decision or reasoning and I would not do it. If she has the gene, the cancer will find its way, breasts or no. Or, it won't. It is all still a crapshoot.

 

That said... it is her body and I am glad that she is fortunate enough to have both the money to afford the high level medical testing and treatment she desires and, to have a partner who does not try to stand in the way of her decisions about her body.

 

Apparently, Angelina's doctors told her she had an 87% chance of developing breast cancer. With those odds, I would have had the surgery, too. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Angelina opts to have her ovaries removed in the near future, as well.

 

I don't think there is any evidence that says that if a woman has her breasts removed, that she is somehow setting herself up for a different kind of cancer in another part of her body.

 

I know that anyone can develop cancer, but if I knew that I had an 87% chance of getting it, I would be incredibly thankful to have found out about it in time to be proactive.

[gaillardia]

I do not agree with her decision or reasoning and I would not do it. If she has the gene, the cancer will find its way, breasts or no. Or, it won't. It is all still a crapshoot.

 

That said... it is her body and I am glad that she is fortunate enough to have both the money to afford the high level medical testing and treatment she desires and, to have a partner who does not try to stand in the way of her decisions about her body.

I had not thought of it that way, Audrey. My mother died of breast cancer. She sprayed ddt on the veggie garden back when it was legal, late 50's. I was born later. She seriously thought that was what did it (the ddt). She went for 6 years without any cancer and was told if she went five years she'd be okay. It metasticized (forgive spelling) and went to her liver. Is that what you mean?

[acsnmama]

I have no idea if I would do it. I definitely need new "bOOks" my have seen better days. Breastfed 3 babies and they just didn't hold up.

 

However, my Mom and her sister both had breast cancer. My Mom's had spread to her lymph nodes under her arm, she is in remission, but has lymphedema in her arm.

 

I think preventative surgery would be a good thing, considering there are MANY who do not survive, and MANY who do not catch it early. I know of a woman right now, who is just 30 years old, it has spread to her bones. She is dying, and she's far too young to be dying of breast cancer, which has now manifested itself into a body full of cancer. It's so, so sad.

 

I wish I had the money to get the tests done. Unfortunately I do not.

[Slartibartfast]

I had not thought of it that way, Audrey. My mother died of breast cancer. She sprayed ddt on the veggie garden back when it was legal, late 50's. I was born later. She seriously thought that was what did it (the ddt). She went for 6 years without any cancer and was told if she went five years she'd be okay. It metasticized (forgive spelling) and went to her liver. Is that what you mean?

My sister's also went to her liver. If one is at risks for getting breastcancer the risks are reduced significantly because breastcancer STARTS in the breast. It doesn't start anywhere else. Breastcancer in the liver is still breastcancer, it isn't liver cancer because it is in the liver.

 

It is true that people with BRCA are at risks for other cancer.

 

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/BRCA

 

According to these articles there is a 10% chance for breastcancer in people who undergo preventative masectomies. That is a heck of a lot lower than 87%. I would take those odds if it was my life and my time with my kids on the line. http://www.webmd.com...tive-mastectomy

 

Prophylactic mastectomy reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by 90 percent in high-risk women. That means, for every 100 women with a high risk of breast cancer that undergo prophylactic mastectomy, 90 of those women will never be diagnosed with breast cancer. Ten women can be expected to develop breast cancer after the surgery.

 

http://www.mayoclini...NSECTIONGROUP=2

[Audrey]

I had not thought of it that way, Audrey. My mother died of breast cancer. She sprayed ddt on the veggie garden back when it was legal, late 50's. I was born later. She seriously thought that was what did it (the ddt). She went for 6 years without any cancer and was told if she went five years she'd be okay. It metasticized (forgive spelling) and went to her liver. Is that what you mean?

 

 

Before you read what I have to say... caveat: I am going to be really blunt and some people might feel offended, but I say what I mean and I mean it because I've been around the cancer block enough to feel pretty strongly about some aspects of it. I think that everyone is entitled to deal with their health on their own terms and in no way do I pretend to know what anyone else should do it in the face of cancer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To answer your question --- yes and no. I mean that I don't really believe doctors who say they can "prevent cancer" with any degrees of certainty. I do not believe that medical science has been able to define causes of cancer accurately. I do not believe there are such things as "87% chances" and "10% chances." I think the medical establishment wants to believe that, but they have not produced solid, reliable, repeatable and consistent results and analyses wrt cancer. I think they have come a long way in being able to treat cancers into remission, but remission is not a cure.

 

I don't wish to argue this. It is my opinion on the subject. I am extremely skeptical of the medical establishment wrt cancer research, diagnoses, prevention and treatment. I am NOT saying I believe there is some better method for dealing with it. I don't believe that at all. I think that if cancer is going to get you, it will. And, if you do get it, you're most likely to die from it sooner or later. I realize that is incredibly cynical, but that is how I feel. To be quite frank, I've seen enough cancer. If I ever get it, I have no plans to seek treatment. I'll hang on until I decide I want out, and then I'll off myself so no one else has to do it for me.

[Slartibartfast]

Before you read what I have to say... caveat: I am going to be really blunt and some people might feel offended, but I say what I mean and I mean it because I've been around the cancer block enough to feel pretty strongly about some aspects of it. I think that everyone is entitled to deal with their health on their own terms and in no way do I pretend to know what anyone else should do it in the face of cancer.

 

 

To answer your question --- yes and no. I mean that I don't really believe doctors who say they can "prevent cancer" with any degrees of certainty. I do not believe that medical science has been able to define causes of cancer accurately. I do not believe there are such things as "87% chances" and "10% chances." I think the medical establishment wants to believe that, but they have not produced solid, reliable, repeatable and consistent results and analyses wrt cancer. I think they have come a long way in being able to treat cancers into remission, but remission is not a cure.

 

I don't wish to argue this. It is my opinion on the subject. I am extremely skeptical of the medical establishment wrt cancer research, diagnoses, prevention and treatment. I am NOT saying I believe there is some better method for dealing with it. I don't believe that at all. I think that if cancer is going to get you, it will. And, if you do get it, you're most likely to die from it sooner or later. I realize that is incredibly cynical, but that is how I feel. To be quite frank, I've seen enough cancer. If I ever get it, I have no plans to seek treatment. I'll hang on until I decide I want out, and then I'll off myself so no one else has to do it for me.

 

 

I don't think you are really wrong. In some situations they can really only delay. But...I think if one is fortunate enough that time is significant. My mom's sister had breastcancer, she has been cancer free for some time now.

 

For all the money put into research the lack of real information is staggering.

[Sara in AZ]

 

I wish I had the money to get the tests done. Unfortunately I do not.

 

 

 

I listened to a discussion about this on NPR today. The representative (of what, I'm not sure) being interviewed stated that if someone has the right combination of risk factors that most insurance companies will pay for the testing and the surgery, including reconstruction. I have no idea if that is accurate, but it's what I heard. The risk factors include the family history, especially in first degree relatives, as well as the age those relatives were when they contracted the cancer. It definitely sounds like you're a good fit.

 

They also talked about the actual test for the genetic marker. Apparently you just rinse your mouth with this mouthwashy stuff and send it off to the lab. Crazy it's that simple!

 

I have a family history of breast cancer as well. My Dad's mother died of it when he was 6, at age 43. One of my Dad's two sister's had it (and beat it) in her forties. His only female cousin also has fought it, slightly later in her 50's. I'm only 35, but I think about this quite often. I'd love to know if I were at increased risk, and I if I were I would seriously consider taking proactive measures to reduce that risk.

 

I'm glad to hear a prominent woman speak out about her experience. Just last year a friend laughed me to scorn for even entertaining this idea.

[Catwoman]

Before you read what I have to say... caveat: I am going to be really blunt and some people might feel offended, but I say what I mean and I mean it because I've been around the cancer block enough to feel pretty strongly about some aspects of it. I think that everyone is entitled to deal with their health on their own terms and in no way do I pretend to know what anyone else should do it in the face of cancer.

 

To answer your question --- yes and no. I mean that I don't really believe doctors who say they can "prevent cancer" with any degrees of certainty. I do not believe that medical science has been able to define causes of cancer accurately. I do not believe there are such things as "87% chances" and "10% chances." I think the medical establishment wants to believe that, but they have not produced solid, reliable, repeatable and consistent results and analyses wrt cancer. I think they have come a long way in being able to treat cancers into remission, but remission is not a cure.

 

I don't wish to argue this. It is my opinion on the subject. I am extremely skeptical of the medical establishment wrt cancer research, diagnoses, prevention and treatment. I am NOT saying I believe there is some better method for dealing with it. I don't believe that at all. I think that if cancer is going to get you, it will. And, if you do get it, you're most likely to die from it sooner or later. I realize that is incredibly cynical, but that is how I feel. To be quite frank, I've seen enough cancer. If I ever get it, I have no plans to seek treatment. I'll hang on until I decide I want out, and then I'll off myself so no one else has to do it for me.

 

 

I don't agree with that at all. I know it can happen, but I don't believe it is the norm, nor do I believe that if you get cancer, it is inevitable that one day, cancer will kill you. I have known several people who had cancer and who were completely cured and went on to live long, healthy lives afterward (and not die of any kind of cancer.)

 

I am saddened to read that if you ever got cancer, that you wouldn't seek treatment for it. :( I would think that if I got a disease and didn't even try to fight it, that would be a very selfish decision for me to make. Sure, I know it's my body and my choice, but I can't imagine wanting to leave my family, and I think it would be incredibly unfair to them to immediately give up and accept death without doing whatever I could to try to fight the illness.

 

I'm not trying to start a debate with you, and I truly hope that you never have to make such a difficult choice -- I hope none of us does.

[Audrey]

I don't agree with that at all. I know it can happen, but I don't believe it is the norm, nor do I believe that if you get cancer, it is inevitable that one day, cancer will kill you. I have known several people who had cancer and who were completely cured and went on to live long, healthy lives afterward (and not die of any kind of cancer.)

 

I am saddened to read that if you ever got cancer, that you wouldn't seek treatment for it. :( I would think that if I got a disease and didn't even try to fight it, that would be a very selfish decision for me to make. Sure, I know it's my body and my choice, but I can't imagine wanting to leave my family, and I think it would be incredibly unfair to them to immediately give up and accept death without doing whatever I could to try to fight the illness.

 

I'm not trying to start a debate with you, and I truly hope that you never have to make such a difficult choice -- I hope none of us does.

 

 

 

Cat, I very clearly stated that what I posted was MY opinion. You are very entitled to yours and I would not agree or disagree with it, nor would I feign "sadness" at your differing choices or opinions on your own health issues. I do not need a sympathetic lecture from anyone on how sad it is that I would not stick out a cancer fight, nor do I need the chastizing on my supposed selfishness. I am not an uninformed idiot, nor inexperienced with such medical issues. Please do not patronize me so. It is very much unappreciated.

[Catwoman]

Cat, I very clearly stated that what I posted was MY opinion. You are very entitled to yours and I would not agree or disagree with it, nor would I feign "sadness" at your differing choices or opinions on your own health issues. I do not need a sympathetic lecture from anyone on how sad it is that I would not stick out a cancer fight. I am not an uninformed idiot, nor inexperienced with such medical issues. Please do not patronize me so. It is very much unappreciated.

 

 

I wasn't patronizing you. I was disagreeing with you, and stating what I would do in a similar situation. I'm sorry if I offended you, because it wasn't my intention, but I never suggested that you were an "uninformed idiot," and I think you are being overly defensive here.

 

Apparently this is a hot-button issue for you, but I have to say that I wasn't trying to argue with you, because you specifically said you didn't want to argue about it, but I don't think I was out of line for having posted my personal opinion in response to your post.

 

I hope we can agree to disagree on this, because I honestly didn't mean to upset you or make you angry.

[Audrey]

didn't mean to upset you or make you angry.

 

 

Yet, your well-crafted insinuations did.

 

But, I have big girl panties. ;) So, nothing to see here, and I think I'll move along now.

[Catwoman]

Yet, your well-crafted insinuations did.

 

But, I have big girl panties. ;) So, nothing to see here, and I think I'll move along now.

 

 

Oh, please. "Well-crafted insinuations?" :rolleyes:

 

I'm not going to even bother discussing this with you any further. You're being ridiculous. And I like you, so I don't want to fight with you, especially when I'm not even sure why there's a problem.

 

I almost always agree with you in other threads, and I thought we've always gotten along pretty well, so I really don't understand why you think I'd intentionally try to be nasty to you. I guess you won't believe me, but I honestly didn't mean to offend you.

[Audrey]

Oh, please. "Well-crafted insinuations?" :rolleyes:

 

I'm not going to even bother discussing this with you any further. You're being ridiculous. And I like you, so I don't want to fight with you, especially when I'm not even sure why there's a problem.

 

I almost always agree with you in other threads, and I thought we've always gotten along pretty well, so I really don't understand why you think I'd intentionally try to be nasty to you. I guess you won't believe me, but I honestly didn't mean to offend you.

 

 

 

The judgmentalism dripping from such unnecessary phrases as "selfish decision" "can't imagine wanting to leave my family" "it would be incredibly unfair to them" ... ?

 

 

For not wanting to offend, you've played it so well, my dear. Kudos.

[Catwoman]

The judgmentalism dripping from such unnecessary phrases as "selfish decision" "can't imagine wanting to leave my family" "it would be incredibly unfair to them" ... ?

 

 

For not wanting to offend, you've played it so well, my dear. Kudos.

 

 

 

I'm sorry you don't believe I am entitled to my own opinion.

 

And for someone who didn't want to argue about this, you don't seem to be able to let it go.

 

I don't know what's going on with you tonight, and quite frankly, at this point, I don't care any more. I tried to apologize for offending you, and that's all I can do. If you want to continue to be upset, there's nothing more I can do about it.

[Audrey]

I'm sorry you don't believe I am entitled to my own opinion.

 

And for someone who didn't want to argue about this, you don't seem to be able to let it go.

 

I don't know what's going on with you tonight, and quite frankly, at this point, I don't care any more. I tried to apologize for offending you, and that's all I can do. If you want to continue to be upset, there's nothing more I can do about it.

 

 

 

Now you're playing the passive-aggressive card. :rolleyes:

 

That was specifically what I said.. that you ARE entitled to your own opinion... and please don't patronize mine.

[Shahrazad]

I respect your points and I think you provided a good explanation of your earlier posts, Audrey, but I don't know if you guys might want to switch to PM or something so this post doesn't get locked from fighting? At this point, you are just going back and forth and not really resolving things. No offense meant!

[Catwoman]

Now you're playing the passive-aggressive card. :rolleyes:

 

That was specifically what I said.. that you ARE entitled to your own opinion... and please don't patronize mine.

 

 

As I have already said, it wasn't my intention to be patronizing.

 

And if you really believe that I am entitled to my own opinion, maybe you should try not to be so sarcastic when you quote snippets of my post -- or perhaps it's only OK for you to disagree with my opinion, but I'm not entitled to comment on yours? :rolleyes: Because FWIW, I think I have been a lot more respectful to you in this thread than you have been to me.

 

I'm getting off the computer for the night, so if you want to continue this discussion, I'm afraid you'll have to argue with yourself. I'm sure it will be far more productive than our little exchange here, anyway. There's really no point in discussing this any further, anyway, as it seems pretty clear that no matter what I say, you're going to find a way to be offended by it. Additionally, I don't think it's fair that we're completely derailing unsinkable's thread.

[Catwoman]

I respect your points and I think you provided a good explanation of your earlier posts, Audrey, but I don't know if you guys might want to switch to PM or something so this post doesn't get locked from fighting? At this point, you are just going back and forth and not really resolving things. No offense meant!

 

 

I definitely don't want to switch to PM. As far as I'm concerned, there's no reason at all for Audrey and I to continue this line of discussion.

 

Unsinkable, if you're reading this, I'm sorry to have contributed to the derailing of your thread, and I hope things will get back on-topic now.

[Audrey]

I respect your points and I think you provided a good explanation of your earlier posts, Audrey, but I don't know if you guys might want to switch to PM or something so this post doesn't get locked from fighting? At this point, you are just going back and forth and not really resolving things. No offense meant!

 

 

You are right. I have no desire to get the thread locked. The other party can have the last word. I've no need to further press the point.

[Mrs Mungo]

What is the cost of having the test, if you know and are willing to share?

When the beauty pagent woman came forward with her decision to do a prophylactic double mastectomy, I sat right there on my couch with my dh and said I didn't know if I would do that; that it seems drastic, but I don't know. Now my mother was just diagnosed with breast cancer and there is a family history, so I'm considering having the test if my mother does have the test and it shows that she has the gene. :( This has moved rapidly from a theoretical consideration to perhaps a realistic consideration.

 

I was quoted $5,000 by a genetic counselor. The military's insurance stopped paying for it for a while. They have started again, and I intend to have the testing once I get back to Hawaii.

 

I have been instructed to have a mammogram once a year and an MRI once a year (staggering them so that I have one or the other every 6 months). This is what younger (under 50) women at very high risk should be doing. Sis and I are sisters, losing our baby sister has been very rough. She was 29 when she was diagnosed, and she left behind an 11 year old daughter. Her cancer was very aggressive. Could it have been stopped, if she'd had better insurance? Different doctors? Had been more proactive with tests, follow-ups, etc? I don't know.

 

What I do know is that I would fight for every day with my kids. I would take the most aggressive course of action that I could afford/my insurance would cover. If my genetic test comes back positive, this is an action I would strongly consider. *I* believe saying that cancer will pop up somewhere else is just silly. To me, it shows a fundamental understanding of what we do and don't currently know about cancer. I did a tremendous amount of research over the course of the 3 years that my sister was sick, and I do believe the science is better than that.

 

My aunt has lived cancer-free for ten years. Her cancer was less aggressive. It was caught earlier. She had excellent doctors and insurance. She fought it with everything she had. Will it come back to kill her eventually? Maybe. But, she has seen her son graduate college and maybe will one day see him marry and hold her grandchildren. Those things would be worth the fight for me.

 

How on earth can a company patent a gene!?! That's outrageous.

 

I agree. I think this is tremendously disturbing. It is like patenting a carnation and never letting anyone else grow or sell one. It is part of nature. You did not invent it. How can it be patented?

 

[Ellie]

Anybody know why the enter key no longer works on this forum???

 

It works for me. What kind of device are you using?

[kewb]

I am surprised we have not brought up BART testing. The additional $700 test that will catch even more risk factors that the BRAC test misses. Myriad profits some more.