No Mutation Detected

"If you picture Time as a straight line along which we have to travel, then you must picture God as the whole page on which the line is drawn."

C.S. Lewis

I read this quote this morning in our church's newsletter - "Perspectives". It just hit me, I had to stop and think and reflect for a few minutes. For me, breast cancer is a just a blip on the straight line of time that I am traveling.

About 3 weeks ago I went to the Comprehensive Breast Center to meet with the Nurse Practicioner who handles genetic testing at the clinic. She is a lovely woman, we both have a 10-year old daughter and I enjoyed her company during my appointment. I was there to learn about a test called BRACAnalysis. BRACAnalysis is a genetic test where the BRACA1 and BRACA2 genes are identified and tested to see if either gene contains a mutation which would predispose a person to breast and ovarian cancer. The test is done on blood drawn from the patient. As you may have guessed from the title of this entry - My genes show no mutation, I am not a carrier of the breast cancer gene.

Of all of the tests that I have been through, the outcome on this one had the potential to be the most devastating. A positive result would have meant that every single breast cell and ovarian cell in my body was predisposed to become a cancer cell at some point. This would have put my statistical risk of a second breast cancer at 48% - 64%. Yikes. Additionally, it would have put my sister, daughter and granddaughters at an elevated risk. Double Yikes. Thank you, Lord!


There are 2 Nurse Practicioners at the Comprehensive Breast Center who have the lovely job of delivering 90% of all breast cancer diagnoses in our area. Both women are compassionate and caring and do their jobs well. Part of their job is to make an early determination whether a person is at risk for carrying the breast cancer gene. I was determined to be at risk since I have a cousin who also had breast cancer in her mid-forties. So that means it could be traveling through my Mother's side of the family. That was not likely, but qualified me to bill the insurance for the test. The real risk was thought to be on my Dad's side. My Dad is a generation of brothers and his dad is a generation of brothers. Before that, my Grandpa lived in Greece so we do not know the history. Taking the blood test and getting the information out there for the rest of the family seemed worth the time it takes to give a little bit of blood.


Isn't it amazing the amount of information we can learn through modern medicine. I am thankful to be living in a time where there is so much hope when diagnosed with a potentially deadly disease. That's for sure.