It has been a long held assumption (at least from myself, admittedly) that the feared breast cancer gene comes from mothers, and maternal aunts and sisters and that is how the breast cancer gene is passed on from generation to generation, but new studies are proving that the so called breast cancer gene, or the genetic mutation that allows for the formation of breast cancer and increases risk significantly, comes from dear ol’ dad. 

The problem is that genetic testing, which now can offer a lot of detection for women who are more at risk than others thanks to a family history on the female side of breast cancer, is not offered to women unless the gene was found in other female members of the family, because it is a very costly battery of genetic tests that must be done, to the tune of about $3 grand a pop. 

The father factor has been overlooked and many times experts say, women think the breast cancer gene came out of nowhere because their father gave it to them and the gene was really dormant and didn’t cause any breast cancer in previous generations.  This may be a new consideration for insurance companies to cover the costs of genetic testing now since a new variable has been thrown into the mix, and it’s not only the female side of the family that can carry this potentially deadly gene. 

Another problem is that many current doctors, much like myself and probably you too, overlook the fact that dad could have passed on the gene for breast cancer, and are not aware of this new breast cancer research that suggests the father factor, and so they do not look for the link.  Genetic breast cancer can occur in men too, but it is very rare, so many times dads carry the gene silently and no one thinks twice until a female member of the family (daughter) has a breast cancer diagnosis. 

Women who should be extra aware of the possibility that their father may have passed on the breast cancer gene are women with very few female relatives on the woman’s side, and women who are adopted and do not have a family history to look back to when considering whether they are at higher risk of developing genetically handed down breast cancer.  Also women who may have had family members who died before diagnosis should be extra inquisitive about unexplained deaths so they may be a little more inclined to ask for the genetic test that could potentially save their lives and prevent them from getting breast cancer some day. 

This entry was posted on June 26, 2007 at 6:03 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Breast Cancer Prevention by Breast News Girl No Comments Yet