Good morning!
Not your average post from me today, but I hope you’ll read on.
Today is Lynch Syndrome Hereditary Cancer Awareness Day in Colorado and 49 other states.
On May 29, 2015, I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer.
Typically, endometrial cancer is seen in women who are quite a bit older and quite a bit heavier. Women with diabetes are often at risk, as are women who have never been pregnant.
I don’t fit the profile.
Yet, I do.
For endometrial cancer is one cancer within a family of cancers known as Lynch Syndrome.
Lynch Syndrome has another name: Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer or HNPCC.
For at least five years, we’ve know that part of our family carried the HNPCC mutation.
But we, along with our doctors, fixated on two things.
First, we focused on the CC part of HNPCC.
If I were male, that would have been appropriate. But frequent colonoscopies, while important and necessary, won’t identify endometrial cancer.
Second, as my 70-something year old mother has not had cancer, current genetic screening guidelines in the U.S. presupposed that both she and I did not carry the mutation.
These guidelines are simply wrong.
Although the mutation does not skip generations, not everyone carrying the mutation develops cancer.
Hereditary cancers come in many forms and are caused by a variety of genetic mutations.
Please take a moment and watch this video from Australia. It lays out their 3-2-1 guidelines for genetic screening very effectively.
If your family has a history of cancer, of any type, with occurrence in someone younger than 50, you may want to consider genetic counseling.
I wish I had.
More On My Cancer:
- The Rock in My Way, June 8, 2015.
- The Not At All Brave (Ski) Mom, June 22, 2015.
- Holding You in the Light, July 6, 2015.
- Lessons Learned, August 3, 2015.
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Connie Marshall says
You will always be a Brave Ski Mom- but now it is very clear that your bravery is defined way beyond that, Kristen. Make some pow turns today at Alta and hold your head high!
braveskimom says
Thank you Connie! You’ve been so supportive of me since I started writing and I am honored to know you. Thank you for your friendship. And thanks for arranging the powder day! Head held high and skis turning made today one of our best days EVER at Alta! And we’ve had a lot of great Alta days! xx
Lake Lili says
Dear Kristen, I am so sorry that you and your family have had to face this disease. Thank you for educating us about it. In our family we face Alzheimer’s – my mother, all her siblings, their paternal uncle and paternal grandfather – the majority of whom had early onset… on the other hand we don’t seem to get cancer…. so its all a roll of the genetic dice. I will share your story with our Bible Study group.
braveskimom says
Thank you Lili. It is humbling to know that so many families go through so much together. I am sorry to hear about your family’s difficult predisposition. Thank you for your friendship and faith. Those two “F” words help us all get through each day and underscore how much we all have in common. xx
julesolder says
SKIIN’ RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE, BSM. Keep on keepin’ on … and keeping us in the loop.
braveskimom says
Thank you Jules! I really appreciate your support, friendship and wisdom. xx