genetic breast cancer risk - sorry ,long....

[minniemooch]

My mum died two years ago of ovarian cancer. Before she died I asked for a referrral to a genetics clinic by gp who felt that this would give me piece of mind and who didn't think I had any extra risk. My mother had two aunts (her father's sisters) who developed breast cancer - one in her 40's - she is alive and well now 79 and one at 68/69 - died of unrelated cancer age 85.
At the time of my appointment I was pregnant with my daughter (now two and a half) . i was quite disappointed that I was seen by someone who had clearly just read my file and who kept making mistakes re my age that of my aunts etc. Anyway, she said that i had a medium risk of having inherited a faulty gene and recommended mammograms. I have since done some research on internet - genetic cancer risk seems to result in early onset breast cancer - only my one aunt qualifies for this. Mum was 63 when she died .
I will be having a mammogram in September ( our hospital also gives ultrasound at same time)- I am off on various trips abroad before then. Am doing regular selfchecks all seems ok.Have now got myself into a state that I may already have cancer and waiting till September will be too late.....any geneticists out there who can explain clarify why my family history indicates increased risk? This is the only incidence of breast and ovarian cancer in our family tree- everyone else seems as far as I can see to have lived to ripe old ages - in fact mums father is well into his nineties.
Am on a national ovarian screening programme as well - just waiting to hear back for my first scan. I am 39, btw.

I'm not sure if this will be any use to you but I have a friend whose mother, 2 aunts, 2 cousins and grandmother have all had breast cancer before 35. They all survived and a couple had a second bout that they also survived. My friend (she's 27) is now in the process of going through genetic testing along with another cousin who hasn't developed it yet who is a similar age. I think the consultants were more willing to go down that route with them because so many of the women (it's gone down through the sisters and their daughters) in the family had it young. It is a very long drawn out process that has been going on for over 2 years now and in the mean time she just has to self check and have regular scans.
I don't know any more of the ins and outs of the testing etc but I would try to enjoy your trips and put it to the back of your mind until september. You know your breasts and I'm sure if you are worried about anything you find your gp will be more than willing to investigate quickly.
Hope that helps a bit. Sorry if it's totally irrelevant.

minniemooch, it does sound to me as though your second great aunt's cancer is probably unrelated to the others- as you say, it's early onset breast cancer (premenopausal) that is really relevant for genetic risk. Breast cancer is so very common in the general population that there's always a chance of co-occurrences in a family that are accidental. It sounds to me as though you are at increased risk but not astronomically by any means. I would definitely keep going for the screening, but I would also do my very best not to worry unduly. You could at least try to get a genetic test done- I think this will depend on where you live. Do bear in mind that even in the extreme case, if your mother had a faulty gene, and so did your aunt, you have no more than a 50% chance of having inherited the same gene. Poor you though, you sound very worried.