Anyone have a family history of breast cancer?

[Tarheel Heather]

My mom is a 10 year survivor, although it may have metastisized. She'll find out Tues. Her mom and her sister died from it.

 

Anyway question being, when did you have your first mammogram?

 

Thanks!

[Jann in TX]

Both of my mother's grandmothers had bre@st cancer. One grandmother died at the age of 40 and the other survived 2 different rounds/types of bre@st cancer and lived to be 98.

 

My mother had a mammogram in November of 1984--it was 'clean'. In December she found a lump and in January 1985 she had a full radical mastectomy--2 weeks after DH and I were married. She was 42--the same age I am now. Mom lost her battle in April of 1987 just 2 weeks before my college graduation.

 

I have routine mammograms every year--since age 35. My sister does too.

[Sara R]

I have no family history (life stinks like that sometimes). But thanks to me, my relatives have a family history now. My sister's doctor said that she should start being screened 8 years before my age at diagnosis (32).

[Tarheel Heather]

Partcipated in a genetic study when she was dx. She came back with no genetic markers. I just figure with all of this starting up again I need to go!

[Sara R]

but it does look like there's pretty strong family history there regardless. They haven't discovered all of the genetic markers yet. Better to be safe.

[Kathy in MD]

Two of my younger sisters were diagnosed when they were 30.

[Renee in NC]

My grandmother died of breast cancer in her 30s.

 

I have never had a mammogram becuase I am only 32 (according to the doctor it wouldn't do me any good) and I have been nursing or pregnant for the past 10 years.

[Marie in Oh]

Estrogen positive cancers typically appear later agewise and are less of the genetic type. This is the type that women in their late 40's, 50's and 60's get, and the type that is helped by childbearing and nursing because estrogen levels are so low. Progesterone positve cancer usually has a genetic component, shows up in the late 20's, 30's and 40's - usually from the surges of progesterone during the childbearing years.

 

Aske me how I know???

 

My dear friend is in the midst of fighting progesterone positive, genetically linked breast cancer at 34. Her mother was 52 when she had it and her grandmother and great grandmother also died of it. Her Dr. said to start mamograms 10 years before her mother was diagnosed-- that would have been 42-- she has it 8 years before that. So, I am not sure doctors even know what to do with this. I would say, none to early if there seems to be a family history.

[Elisabeth in IL]

My mother had a mammogram in November of 1984--it was 'clean'. In December she found a lump and in January 1985 she had a full radical mastectomy--2 weeks after DH and I were married. She was 42--the same age I am now. Mom lost her battle in April of 1987 just 2 weeks before my college graduation.

 

Yikes!!!! :eek: That was scarily fast. I'm getting my second mamogram at 42. I was supposed to go back six months later but it has been a year. I didn't realize that breast cancer could move/change so fast.

 

I'm so sorry about your mom and the speed at which she left you all! :(