{"id":34418,"date":"2014-01-09T17:55:28","date_gmt":"2014-01-09T17:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=34418"},"modified":"2014-01-12T07:50:59","modified_gmt":"2014-01-12T07:50:59","slug":"breast-ovarian-cancer-genetics-knowledge-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/education\/breast-ovarian-cancer-genetics-knowledge-prevention\/","title":{"rendered":"Breast and Ovarian Cancer in Our Community: Genetics, Knowledge and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anna\u2019s aunt was 35 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy.\u00a0 Anna\u2019s great-grandmother had breast cancer before turning 50.\u00a0 Anna knew that these facts were spotlights shining on her own genetic makeup, but until she switched doctors last winter, she hadn\u2019t been approached to be tested.\u00a0 She had heard about the option but, at age 30, she had never been counseled to undergo any kind of genetic testing for hereditary links to cancer.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.<\/a>
Dr. Susan Gross discusses the risks associated with BRCA mutations during a recent webinar at Orthodox Union headquarters on genetics, knowledge, and testing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cMy doctor was honest and upfront with me. She said, \u2018you know that when you get the results, it could mean life as you know it will change,\u2019\u201d Anna recalled. \u201cAnd sure enough, I\u2019ll never forget, at 8:30 in the morning on a Tuesday, the doctor called when I was at work, and I went into a conference room when she broke the news [that I tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation.] I was shocked. Of course I cried. And then it hit me, \u2018well, now what am going I do?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The BRCA genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2)<\/b>, found within the DNA of each person, protect the body against cancer. Yet one in 40 Ashkenazi Jews<\/b> carries a mutation in a BRCA gene, which are passed down in families, according to The Program for Jewish Genetic Health<\/b>, an initiative of Yeshiva University<\/b> and its Albert Einstein College of Medicine.<\/b>\u00a0 When these genes have changes, or mutations, they cause an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers.<\/p>\n

In general, individuals who may be carriers of a hereditary cancer mutation and may be at risk for breast and ovarian cancer include those with a family history of diagnosis at an early age (younger than 50 years old); with two or more close relatives on the same side of the family who have been diagnosed with cancer; individuals with multiple primary cancer diagnoses (as opposed to metastatic cancer); bilateral or multiple rare cancers; the same or related cancer types running in the family (for example, breast or ovarian); or evidence of cancer susceptibility being passed down from parent to child.<\/p>\n

\u201cAshkenazi Jewish ethnicity confers its own risk for BRCA mutations,\u201d emphasized Dr. Susan Gross<\/b>, professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology; and women\u2019s health, pediatrics and genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine; founding director of the Program for Jewish Genetic Health; and chief medical officer of Natera, a California-based medical diagnostics company.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe risks are so substantial if you are of Ashkenazi Jewish background that family history and age can even become less of a factor.\u00a0It is confusing for precisely this reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

Geneticists say that one in ten Ashkenazi Jewish women with breast cancer and one in three Ashkenazi Jewish women with ovarian cancer are likely to have a BRCA mutation, according to the Program for Jewish Genetic Health.\u00a0 Males can also carry BRCA mutations.<\/p>\n

The Orthodox Union<\/b><\/a> recently presented an educational interactive webinar for rebbetzins, yoatzot halacha<\/i> (women certified by Orthodox rabbis to be a resource for women with questions regarding areas of Jewish Law that relating to marriage, intimacy and women\u2019s health) and kallah<\/i> (bride) teachers on \u201cBreast and Ovarian Cancer in our Community: Genetics, Knowledge and Prevention\u201d<\/b> led by Dr. Gross.\u00a0 The event was held in partnership with the Yeshiva University Program for Jewish Genetic Health<\/b> and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University<\/b>; and co-sponsored by the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future<\/b>, and the National Council of Young Israel<\/b>.<\/p>\n

The full webinar may be watched at www.ou.org\/BRCA<\/i><\/a>.<\/i> <\/i><\/p>\n

\"OU<\/a>
\u201cThe more we begin speaking about getting tested for BRCA gene mutations and educating our community, the more lives we can save,\u201d emphasized Dr. Gross.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Jewish community has championed educational awareness and testing for the prevention of diseases linked to those of Jewish heritage (compared to the general population), such as Tay-Sachs and Cystic Fibrosis, but knowledge and testing for BRCA mutations\u00a0 are not as well-known as they should be,\u201d said Rebbetzin Judi Steinig<\/b>, associate director of OU Community Engagement<\/b><\/a>, and webinar coordinator.\u00a0 \u201cTesting is about prevention.\u00a0 Testing is about saving lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Gross emphasized that BRCA mutations cause a significantly increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer (among others), yet women who have BRCA mutations have options to reduce their cancer risks.<\/p>\n

Anna, a rebbetzin who lives in Manhattan with her husband, attended the live taping of the webinar at OU headquarters in Manhattan, at which she shared her story to the audience of women and Dr. Gross during a question and answer session following the main presentation.<\/p>\n

Anna shared, \u201c[When I found out] I was shocked, and really didn\u2019t know what to do. Fortunately my doctor is part of the Mount Sinai network, and is very proactive. She told me \u2018you have to do this, then this, then this, then this\u2019 and I just said, \u201cWhoa, you have to slow down. This is a lot of information right now. Where do I begin?\u2019\u00a0 First, I met with a genetic counselor and we mapped out options and risks.\u00a0 From there, now I have a team comprised of my genetic counselor, a gynecological oncologist at Mount Sinai, and a personal physician who is part of the Dubin Breast Center of Mount Sinai.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anna noted that every family reacts differently. Originally her mother never wanted to be tested and was \u201ctaken aback\u201d when her daughter chose to do so, Anna pointed out. \u201cI am happy that I know,\u201d Anna emphasized. \u201cI\u2019m able to make some personal decisions with my husband about how we want to make out\u2014as my doctor calls it\u2014\u201cthe ten year plan\u201d about the types of treatment we want to pursue. It\u2019s also controversial, because options such as prophylactic surgeries come with a lot of stigma.\u00a0 \u2026I don\u2019t think anyone should feel pressured into one treatment or another. A treatment plan is a very personal decision between you and your team of physicians.\u201d<\/p>\n

In recent months, Anna\u2019s mother has changed her mind and plans to be tested, knowing she has a 50\/50 chance of carrying a BRCA mutation. \u201cThe big thing I would stress is that getting tested is very, very personal decision,\u201d Anna stated. \u201cYet I feel it\u2019s a very important decision\u2014especially if you have a history. I respect that some people aren\u2019t sure what to do with the information. I feel getting information will help them to demystify so that people aren\u2019t scared to get tested. When you get the diagnosis, it\u2019s a lot to handle. Knowledge is power. Knowledge is life.\u201d<\/p>\n

With tears welling in her eyes, Dr. Gross thanked Anna for sharing her story, predicting that Anna\u2019s bravery would inspire others to be tested, and could lead to, for instance, another Jewish mother living to be at her son\u2019s bar mitzvah celebration next summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more we begin speaking about this and educating our community, the more lives we can save,\u201d Dr. Gross stressed.<\/p>\n

For more information on Jewish genetic health, visit <\/i>www.yu.edu\/genetichealth<\/i><\/a> \u00a0or <\/i>MyJewishGeneticHealth.com<\/i><\/a>, contact JewishGeneticHealth@yu.edu, or call 718.430.4156.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Anna\u2019s aunt was 35 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy.\u00a0 Anna\u2019s great-grandmother had breast cancer before turning 50.\u00a0 Anna knew that these facts were spotlights shining on her own genetic makeup, but until she switched doctors last winter, she hadn\u2019t been approached to be tested.\u00a0 She had<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":326,"featured_media":34407,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,12,14,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-education","category-health","category-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\nBreast and Ovarian Cancer in Our Community: Genetics, Knowledge and Prevention - OU Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/education\/breast-ovarian-cancer-genetics-knowledge-prevention\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Breast and Ovarian Cancer in Our Community: Genetics, Knowledge and Prevention - 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