Hi there and thanks for the post

I am so sorry to hear about your mum and all she is going through at the moment. This must be such a difficult time for her and the family.

When cancer is in the family, people often assume that this greatly increases their risk of developing it, but this isn't necessarily so. Although the genes we inherit may influence our risk, other things do as well. No one is risk free and the risk of breast cancer increases for all women as we get older. 

Breast cancer risks and causes are explained on our website. You will see that a family history can increase the risk of breast cancer but not always by very much. This can depend on how close the affected relatives were and how young they were when they developed the cancer.

So, we all carry some degree of ‘population' risk. In the UK, routine breast screening starts from 50 for most of us although there is a study asking some women from the age of 47. Some women whose risk is above average can start screening sooner, but only a very few women are offered it in their thirties. 

The first step is to find out if your breast cancer risk is enough above average to justify screening. Your GP can help you to do this. You need to find out if anyone else on either side of your family has a history of breast or other cancers and if so, how old there were when they developed it. Depending on the family history your GP can refer you on to a breast clinic for a risk assessment or tell you that your risk is much the same as average. 

It is worth reading the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance for women with breast cancer in the family.

Usually when a gene fault is thought possible through a significant family history it is the patient who will at first be referred to a genetics clinic for assessment and testing. If at that point any gene faults are discovered other close family members will also be offered testing.

I would ask your mum again if she has heard anything from her specialist doctor or nurse about her being tested for the BRCA gene.

In the meantime it is worth you speaking with your own GP to discuss your concerns about your own risk.

I hope this is helpful information to you but do get back in touch if needed.

Take care

Naomi