Good News! (Genetic Test Results)

I just got my genetic test results and they are NEGATIVE. No mutants here! (Despite what some of you may privately think...)

What does this mean, you ask?

There are 3 kinds of risk: general population risk, familial risk and genetic risk.

A woman in the general population has a 13% chance of developing cancer in her lifetime.
A woman with genetic risk has up to an 85% chance of developing cancer in her lifetime.

Ok, you ask now, why would I care about this since I already got breast cancer?

1. My family. Myfamilymyfamilymyfamilymyfamily. This has implications for all the women in my family. I love you guys and I am so happy not to be the harbinger of doom!
2. Being "gene-positive" would put me at a higher risk for another breast cancer.
3. Being "gene-positive" is linked to higher risks for ovarian cancer. For ovarian cancer, the general population risk is 1-2%, for "gene-positives" it's anywhere from 16-60%! (Although, another fun fact for today, if you've used oral contraceptives for more than 6 years, you've reduced your ovarian cancer risk by 60%. So, let's see, 60% of 60% is 36%. Follow? I didn't think so.)

But, those of you reading closely now ask, what about the 3rd kind of risk you mentioned?

And it's true. There is a 3rd category called "familial risk." This is for folks like me (and the women in my family) who have a family history but where they can't find a gene mutation to explain it. It means that we are at a higher risk than the general population and should be careful about screening and monitoring and all that stuff, but they don't have the same sorts of scary numbers about us.

This isn't a "get out of jail free" card for me or anything, I'll still have increased risks (compared to the general population), but it is good news.

So, thanks universe!