Kylie Minogue, Breast Cancer, and BRCA?
Kylie Minogue was just diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36. She’s huge in the dance music world; her stuff is always on the radio. If you still don’t know who she is, she sang Locomotion in the 80s.
The average age of breast cancer presentation is usually post-menopausal early 60s, so I’m wondering if she has the familial form of breast cancer, caused by the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Breast cancer usually presents much earlier in those women. If so, Kylie’s sister may be at risk, too.
I believe in you, Kylie.
Hopefully they caught it early. Seems like lots more people survive breast cancer these days.
Interesting, because almost all the cases of breast cancer I’ve ever personally known of have involved women in their 30s getting diagnosed with it.
That would include my mother’s cousin (my maternal great aunt’s daughter – who recovered completely), and my paternal aunt (who didn’t have the lump removed and consequently died from something called Steven Johnsons syndrome from an allergy to medication she was taking for a brain tumor later on – her mother (my paternal grandmother) died at the same age (57) from ovarian cancer).
(I was told by doctors that neither of these have any bearing on my risk factors for ovarian or breast cancer.)
I’ve had 2 friends who had mothers with breast cancer in their late 30s. (One in the 1970s, and one in the 1990s.)
I know a man whose wife had breast cancer – diagnosed in her 30s. Died maybe 3 years ago from a benign brain tumor supposedly made worse by some kind of sinus spray.
And a charity organization that I’ve done photography for, included taking photos of the sister of a victim of breast cancer – also in her 30s or 40s at most.
I’ve never personally known of ANYONE AT ALL diagnosed with breast cancer as a senior citizen.
So this is why it’s shocking to hear that it’s more common!
I agree. Almost everyone that I’ve known who has had breast cancer has been below the age of 40 except for one person. I’ve got a total of six friends, who’ve had breast cancer; one died.
The one who died was in her early thirties, aprox 15 years ago. Two of her sistera [younger siblings] later developed breast cancer and finally, the third and youngest, has had benign tumors and subsuqently has been told it’s not a matter of “if, but when” she gets cancer.
All of these women range in age from 31 to 38. The oldest was age 43. The 43 year old is one of the survivors.
All of the survivors but one, had mastectomies. My friend who did not opt for mastectomy is now regretting her docs aka HMO’s decision, in that two years later she now has a recurrence; she was once again given a “choice” for lumpectomy. Go, Go, HMOs?
This is a little off base, but HMOs and their “nurse case-managers,” are NOT MDs and it’s disturbing that an insurance provider can decide for the treating physician what treatment is “best for the patient.” Treatment opitions should remain in the hands of the Physicians and the patients, the HMOs should trust accordingly.
Back on topic:
I’m also not surprised to hear of anyone in their mid or early 30′s developing breast cancer.