Genetic ovarian cancer anyone? Testable?

[midnightvelvet01]

My mother died of ovarian cancer a few years ago, she knew it was terminal once it went into her brain so she wrote us all letters to be read after her death.

It was the anniversary of her death a few days ago so I re-read her letter & in it she said she would like me to go for a genetic cancer test? Or to be tested for ovarian cancer, something like that. My health is fine, I think she was talking about genetics.

Does anyone know what she meant? She was a little confused at the time she wrote them.

Sorry to read this. My own mother had OC and thankfully recovered but it did make me think about the 'what ifs' in relation to me getting it

If you just have the one female relative then I don't think that you are considered any higher risk than anyone else of getting OC. For them to do genetic testing on you you'd need to have a strong family history of the disease, which would mean grandmother, aunts , sisters etc. as things stand I don't think you have anything to be too concerned about

Genetic OvCa is sometimes connected to genetic breast cancer. The same gene is involved in both. You can be tested for it, and if other members of your family, on father's side as well as the maternal line, have had bc, you might qualify. (cf Angelina Jolie)

But I think most cases of ovca aren't hereditary, so, as AtWork, says, you're probably in the same position as the rest of the population.

Thanks both, my aunt has had breast cancer, she is my father's sister. So yes, its on both sides of the family......

But it might not be the sort of bc with the ov.ca gene. Does she know? Someone on the Tamoxigang thread might know more about this. I think there's someone on it who is due to have her ovaries removed because of it.

Try asking there.

OK thanks Thymeout :)

I'm BRCA2 positive. This is a gene linked to both breast and ovarian cancer. I had breast cancer and then had my ovaries and tubes removed to reduce the cancer risk.

Sorry to hear that weebarra.

Is the BRCA2 gene the one that my mum meant then? Sorry to be so clueless.

Trying to find the Tamoxigang thread.....

Found it :)

My gran died of ovarian cancer in her 60s, my mum then got ovarian cancer in her 60s. When she found out she was tested for the BRCA2 gene (based on this and high incidences of breast cancer in her mums family) but was found not to have it.

I intend to have my ovaries removed as soon as they are no longer useful!