Second Chances

A woman is at risk of having the same genetic mutation of RAD51C as a relative (cousin, sibling, aunt, mother).  If you are aware of relatives who have had breast cancer or ovarian cancer, it is paramount that you seek genetic testing as well.

Everyone has two copies of the RAD51C gene.  We inherit one copy from each of our parents.  Suppose your genetic testing results indicate that you have a pathogenic variant of this gene. In that case, it means that one of your copies of the RAD51C gene is no longer working correctly and causes a hereditary predisposition to cancer.

The Ontario Ministry of Health offers an Ontario High-Risk Breast Cancer Screening Program for women between the ages of 30 and 69. This screening includes an annual breast MRI and a mammogram. MRI and mammogram tests together have the highest sensitivity for detecting breast cancer in high-risk women.

The average lifetime breast cancer risk for women is  12% or 1 out of 8 women.  A high-risk woman is at a risk of 25% or higher.