it runs in my family my mum and nan both had it and my mum ws pregnant with me when she found out. she died when in labour is it possible she gave it to when i was born?
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Q: hi my name is charli im 14 and i have a lump in my right breast is it possible that is breast cancer
Answers (1)
7/19/09 7:43pm
Charli, I'm sorry to hear about your mom and your family history of breast cancer. You would not have caught breast cancer from your mother. If your mother and grandmother or your mother's sisters had breast cancer before the age of forty, there is a possibility that you have a gene that would make you more likely than the average person to get breast cancer. However, IF that is the case, you wouldn't get it at age 14; you would probably get it at about the same age as your relatives. When you get older, you can talk to your doctor about whether it would be a good idea for you get a test that would show whether you have that gene.
In the meantime, you need to decide what to do about that lump. If is very common for teen-agers to have lumpy breasts, and teenagers almost never get breast cancer. It would be a good idea to watch the lump. Don't check it every day; check it right after your period. It may go away on its own. If it doesn't, you will have some valuable information to give the doctor such as does the lump change over the course of your menstrual cycle? Is it getting bigger?
Tell an adult about the lump and about your worries about the possibility that you might inherit breast cancer. It's very important that you share your worries and not hold them all in. There are people who care about you who have valuable information about your mother's medical history that might reassure you, and they would want to help. Read this Teen Guide to Breast Development to learn more about what is normal during puberty.
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By confused kid— Last Modified: 10/27/10, First Published: 07/19/09
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Charli, the link I gave you in my above reply is not the right one. Try this:
<!--StartFragment-->http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/9692/66967/development<!--EndFragment-->
I might also mention to you and anyone else who has risk factors for breast cancer that you can not control like family history, that there are some things you can do to reduce your risk. Don't smoke; don't drink; get plenty of exercise; and eat healthy foods, especially lots of fruits and veggies.