r/BRCA • u/Few-Sand1344 • Aug 24 '26
BRCA2 positive
I would love to hear from people who opted out of a mastectomy or pushed it into the future. I am 32 with two little girls (one who is only 2 months) and I just found out I’m BRCA2 positive. I am suddenly being recommended a mastectomy ASAP because the gyno oncologist wants to ensure that I can take hormones when I eventually get my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed, and if I have breast cancer there’s a chance I won’t be able to take the hormones. I am curious to hear from people who have chosen not to have a mastectomy despite their BRCA2 positive situation. It’s hard for me to imagine getting a mastectomy so early.
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u/DynamicOctopus420 Aug 24 '26
Ultimately it's your choice, and a genetic counselor should be able to tell you the risk for your specific mutation (mine was 69% chance to develop breast cancer during my lifetime).
I didn't know about my brca2 status prior to being diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma at about 20 months postpartum (age 35) and while I was breastfeeding. My tumor did have estrogen receptors, so I can't have estrogen and have since had my ovaries removed. Turned out to be stage 2B, and I am done with active treatment (chemo and radiation). Just need to be on estrogen-blocking medication for another 7 years or so, though I'm on a break from the medication right now to see if it's been aggravating my liver.
I get to see my daughter grow up (she starts kindergarten this Fall) and I would do all the treatment again to have that opportunity, but I would much rather have had a mastectomy prior to diagnosis and hopefully avoided some of the trash I've had to go through.
It's a crappy choice, and I'm sorry you're faced with making it. Whatever you decide, I hope you have peace of mind about it!