Hi,
I am 26 years old and I have been for two breast examinations including an ultrasound screening, I cant get a mammogram or anything else as I'm too young for that screening. I find it very difficult to self exam as i already have a few movable lumps in both breasts, these have been not a cause for concern by the last breast surgeon I went to see, but even he agreed that it would be hard for me to self exam, so I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do except every couple of months go to the same guy for a breast examination to make sure theres nothing changer or concerning.
I recently was told by a genetics consultant that I probrably wouldn't need early screening. My mum had breast cancer at 41 and the only other person in my family is my great great gran, she died of breast cancer in her thirties, with all that info I was still told that I couldn't get tested genetically unless there was a known gene in my family. However, I recently found out that my mums gran died from bowel cancer in her 60's, I just feel like all of these are linked to some kind of gene and I'm terrified I have it and never know about it. My dads dad had bladder cancer at 59 but I'm not massively concerned about that as that's the only case of cancer in his family. I have emailed back the genetics place with that new information
Does that count as a strong family history?
On my mums dads side:
My mum - 41 breast cancer
My great gran - 60+ bowel cancer
My great great gran - breast cancer early 30s
On my mums mums side there is no cancer
On my dads side there is only one case of bladder cancer diagnosed over 50.
I'm really struggling and this is worrying me every day. Does that count as strong history? Is my plan to go back every two months to get examined ok as I dont know what to look for myself? Any advice is much appreciated
Thanks
Nat