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Test husband? What age for kids?

Page last modified on: August 26, 2008
Question from JNelling: I was diagnosed about a year ago at age 46. My mother, 78, was just diagnosed and my mother-in-law also had breast cancer. I am thinking that in order to provide any useful information to my children, my husband would have to be tested too. Is this correct? If either of us is positive, at what age should my kids be tested?
Answers —Carol Cherry, M.S.N., R.N., A.P.R.N., B.C.: It's recommended to meet with a genetics professional to look at the entire family history, and the red flags as discussed earlier. Also, it's important that children make an independent decision about their own personal desire for genetic testing. There isn't a recommended age given by the professionals, but the counselor helps the individual make that decision for themselves.
Terri McHugh, M.D.: With female children, if there is a hereditary link, ideally we encourage them to consider genetic testing at age 20, or again, 10 years younger than the age of youngest family diagnosis. The purpose of having them tested at that age would be to have them on-target with their breast screening, and if they're not ready to test at that age, to ensure that they are being screened appropriately.
Carol Cherry, M.S.N., R.N., A.P.R.N., B.C.: It is not every 20-year-old who is ready to pursue testing. It is a very individual decision.
Terri McHugh, M.D.: One other consideration with children of mutation carriers, both male and female children, is that in today's world there is the chance for pre-implantation genetic selection. In short, what that means is a woman or couple could choose to have in vitro fertilization and choose the embryos that are not affected with the mutation to be reimplanted. That again is a very individual choice, but something you should be aware of.

On Wednesday, March 19, 2008, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Breast Cancer Risk and Your Family. Carol Cherry, M.S.N., R.N., A.P.R.N., B.C. and Terri McHugh, M.D. answered your questions about how family genes affect risk, pros and cons of genetic testing, and ways to lower your breast cancer risk.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Carol Cherry, M.S.N., R.N., A.P.R.N., B.C.Carol Cherry, M.S.N, R.N., A.P.R.N, B.C. is health educator, Research Project Manager, and Cancer Risk Counselor in the Margaret Dyson Family Risk Assessment Program at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Pennsylvania.

Terri McHugh, M.D. is a medical oncologist/hematologist and director of the Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetics program.

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