Genetics and Family Background

More and more women are making the decision to learn whether or not they have an abnormality in the so-called "breast cancer genes" BRCA1 and BRCA2.

If you discover that you carry one of these gene abnormalities, sit down with a genetic counselor and your doctor and evaluate the information within the context of your family history.

You may decide to pursue an aggressive breast cancer treatment or aggressive preventive procedures such as mastectomies and ovary removal to prevent possible breast and ovarian cancer. If, on the other hand, the women in your family were diagnosed later in life and lived many years beyond treatment, this knowledge can help reassure both you and your doctor that a less aggressive course of treatment may be appropriate for you.