News

Preventive Mastectomy or Not?

Since actress Angelina Jolie’s news of her preventive double mastectomy, are you wondering whether you should be tested for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation related to breast and ovarian cancer?

USA Today reported online that only one in 500 women have this mutation that is involved in repairing genetic mistakes and increasing cancer risks.

The science of breast cancer and mastectomies reaches far beyond the headline stories, but news such as Jolie’s can serve as a reminder of the importance of doing all we can to detect breast cancer early. While all women over age 40 should be screened, certain women have higher risks than the general population.

Breast Surgeon Melissa Hulvat, MD, at the Bass Breast Center with Kalispell Regional Healthcare, offers a practical check-list:

Genetic testing can be life-saving for some women but it is not necessary for everyone. It may be appropriate for you if you have:
- any breast cancer before age 50
- certain high risk breast cancer before age 60
- multiple family members with breast cancer before age 50
- ovarian cancer at any age
- male relatives with breast cancer
- Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and breast cancer
- a known BRCA mutation in your family
Genetically speaking, including breast cancer risk, your father's family history is just as important as your mother’s.
Genetic evaluation is more than a blood test. The process begins with a consultation with a medical provider who can assess your family history and determine whether the blood test is right for you. The genetic counselor will interpret your results and explain them to you. Genetic counseling is available through Kalispell Regional Healthcare. You can learn more by clicking here.
If you need a consultation with a certified genetics counselor, have your primary care provider refer you to the Bass Breast Center. This consultation is free. Blood testing, if needed, is not free but may be covered by insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. Special arrangements potentially can be made for the uninsured
If you are overdue for your screening mammogram, call The Imaging Center at 751-7533. For financial assistance with your screening, call Save a Sister toll free at 877-399-0384.

Every aspect of the same care that Angelina Jolie received – the counseling, testing, mastectomies and reconstructions – is available here in the Flathead Valley through the Kalispell Regional Healthcare system. If you have questions, please call your primary care provider or the Bass Breast Center at 751-6488.