BRCA article from CNNhealth.com 1/9/09
BRCA NEWSWORTHY
‘Cancer-free’ baby born in London
Follow this link for more on this article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/09/uk.cancerfree.baby/
Friday, 1/9/09 a very expensive genetically engineered baby girl was born in London, England free of the BRCA gene mutation.
This has become a very controversial subject! If an embryo has the BRCA mutation, it is discarded & not implanted in the mother. This becomes controversial because not everyone who has the BRCA gene mutation develops cancer.
WOULD YOU DO GENETIC SCREENING FOR YOUR EMBRYOS IF YOU COULD?
Feel free to leave your comments here…
BRCA article from Hadassah Magazine November 2008 Vol. 90 No. 3
BRCA NEWSWORTHY
Breaking the Chain by Wendy Elliman
Follow this link for the entire awesome article!
http://www.hadassah.org/news/content/per_hadassah/archive/2008/08_Nov/medicine.asp
This past June, twins were born at the Hadassah Hospital in Israel without the BRCA gene mutation. Embryos free of the mutation were implanted in the mother enabling her to “break the breast cancer chain” in her family & give birth to BRCA free babies. Six other BRCA positive couples also had the genetically BRCA free embryos implanted using in-vitro fertilization treatment. One of these couples gave birth in September, & the other 5 couples are expecting soon!
BRCA article from the Daily Herald 10/28/08
BRCA NEWSWORTHY
Certain genetic traits increase incidence
By Ace Stryker at the Daily Herald
Follow the link for the entire story: http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/286088/17/
An article telling us that BRCA gene testing costs approximately $3000.00 & is not always a covered insurance expense. However, having the gene mutation can “almost guarantee” an incidence of breast cancer in your lifetime. Knowing, allows you the choice of having a prophylactic mastectomy & or oophorectomys to overcome this risk. Men with the BRCA gene mutation are also at risk of breast & prostate cancer. Knowing they have the gene mutation allows them to be more vigilant about their health also.
BRCA article from the dailyherald.com 10/20/08
BRCA NEWSWORTHY
More parents ponder cancer gene tests for kids
The link to the entire article: http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=243953&src=120
There is a growing trend to go for BRCA testing since the insurance companies are covering the expense & a new law bans discrimination if it is found that you carry the mutated gene. Once people find out that they have the mutated gene, it is common to worry if it has been passed down to their children. Do they get tested & when is the question since these offspring have a 50-50 chance of having inherited the defective gene. Women with the BRCA mutation have a three to seven times greater fisk of developing breast cancer & a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Men are predisposed to prostate, pancreatic & other types of cancer. There is a lot of controversy on this subject. Many experts say wait until age 25 & over. Some families want their children tested immediately. Some say wait until they have had their own families already. Some say talk to teenagers from these high risk families so they make more positive lifestyle choices (no smoking, drugs, alcohol, birth control pills.)
Right now the only method there is to lower the risk once you find out that you have a positive BRCA mutation is to consider anti-estrogen drugs or having a mastectomy & oophorectomy. These are drastic measures so does one take the test & find out or wait?