| What happens at a hosp app at genetic department for b****t cancer ?If you have been what happens?
I don't have b****t cancer, I have been refered to this department to find out my channces as I have a family history of it.
Asked By: Twin Mummy - 3/15/2010 |
I have been through the genetic testing at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. the actual testing is only a matter of minutes, it's what goes on before the testing. You are seen my a geneticist and she explains about the BRACA 1 AND BRACA 2 genes. People don't realize, that this test not only will tell you if you are predisposed to b****t cancer, but also ovarian cancer, cervical, uterine. Yep, all of those. In my family we have a very strong history. In our case, the history was very important because for us, we were testing positive. It started with my niece. She and my younger sister both got b****t cancer before anyone else, (this generation that is). Her doctor advised the testing. She came back positive for both genes. Now it was her job to convince the rest of us. Her sister is the only one that tested negative. She took after her mother, my sister in law. I had the gene testing and like I said everything is explained to you. After that, you sign papers if you don't mind either sharing the results with colleagues of theirs or if you want it private. I didn't care. So myself and 6 of my sister all had the gene testing. All 6 of us tested positive for both genes. That is very uncommon. They draw a total of 6 vials of blood, send it to special genetic labs and in about a month you get the results. The Genetisist told us that we were a very unique family. She strongly believe that heredity plays a huge part in b****t cancer. Oh, they will ask you your entire family history of anyone on either your mother or father's side who had b****t cancer. I also had to bring a copy of my nieces results with me. Those reports are very important to them. It saves them a lot of work as she told me. So, It's sounds like a lot, but it's not. It's simple, annoying with all the paper work you have to fill out, then do it again in another dept. then talk to a genetics counselor and a genetisist.. Finally, they draw blood and you can finally go home. It is easy, so I hope if this test was suggested to you, have it done. Insurance does cover it too. Good luck
ADD Almost forgot, the vials are sent to different parts of the country, Canada and UK. All have the best labs and so they ask them all to have this analysed. One vial stayed in Boston, another was sent to different states in the US, one was sent to Toronto, and the last one to the UK. That's why it will take so long to get results. Sometimes up to 6 months but because of the ergency, Boston put a rush on it. Still took a month. Oh well. Good luck with your test, It's worth having done.
Answered By: Memere RN/BA - 3/16/2010 |