OT: Crying in my coffee for Robin Roberts from ABC's Good Morning America

My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer January of 2006 at age 48.  She had bilateral mastectomies and chemo and takes hormone therapy and is doing great. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in December of 2006 at age 46.  It took 5 surgeries and many months to get the all clear and the reconstruction done but no radiation, no chemo and no hormones for me.  Mine was caught very early. Both of us were diagnosed based on routine mammograms.  They are critical!

Be well, all. Kathy

First I want to say your sister was beautiful.  Second I agree that it is a terrible disease and insurance should pay for us to get a Mamogram alot earlier than 40. 

My sister decided on bilateral mastectomies right away based on her diagnosis of ILC (invasive lobular carcinoma) with immediate reconstruction from abdomen (called DIEP). I initially decided on lumpectomy since it looks like all pre-cancer (ductal carcinoma in situ - DCIS) but they didn't get clear margins on the DCIS and within it was a tiny bit of IDC (invasive ductal carcinoma).  I had a re-excision lumpectomy which again did not yield clear margins then my choice was mastectomy.  With one mast coming, I opted for bilateral.  No regrets at all.  Believe it or not, post WLS... not enough abdomen fat for self-reconstruction of both breasts so I got implants.  Had a bleed in the one breast which yielded another surgery.  Finally had my temporary implants replaced the end of June to silicone. Have you had any genetic testing done?  My sister had the BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing done after her diagnosis.  And if she had been positive, I would have gone for the testing too without a diagnosis.  But she was negative.    I did get testing done after my diagnosis and was also negative.  Those that test positive are a very tiny percent of those with breast cancer but if you test positive, you run a high risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.  That's why I was tested for the latter.  Believe me, if my sister had been positive for this and I was positive... I would have prophyllatically removed both breasts in a heartbeat to avoid it. I definitely feel lucky to have been diagnosed so very early.  I was not more carefully scrutinized with my sister's diagnosis and had been going for mammograms since age 40 yearly with a baseline at 35. Your sister was lovely! Best wishes, Kathy

Oh, I definitely know about the cancer in the family thing... me - breast cancer, sister - breast cancer, father - prostate cancer and basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer), uncle - kidney cancer, maternal grandmother - uterine cancer and breast cancer, paternal grandmother - uterine cancer, among others.  Argh!

My sister and my cancer were both estrogen/progesterone receptor positive.  She takes hormone therapy for that since her cancer had spread to a lymph node.  I don't because mine was so small and since I had both breasts removed the doctor didn't see a big benefit reducing a reoccurrence. BRCA1/BRCA2 testing is evolving.  The gene tends to run in certain blood lines especially a Jewish blood line from Eastern Europe.  Insurance will often pay for it (about $3200) if you have close relatives that had breast cancer especially at a younger age.  Definitely consider it along with a doctor and genetic counselor. Best wishes to you!  Hope that everything remains clear for you! Kathy