March 26, 2006 --

Noreen Jaramillo-KFOX Morning News Anchor

Imagine standing in a room with eight of your female friends or family members. Statistics show that one of them will get breast cancer. But for those who have one of two breast cancer genes, the risk goes up significantly. So, how do you find out if you have one of these genes?

Being in the jewelry business is a family affair for Stephanie Baskin, her husband Marv and son Greg, but unfortunately so is breast cancer. Stephanie's survived the disease twice.

"I did know that in my dad's family almost every single woman has breast cancer," said Baskin.

That alone is enough to make doctors suspect she has one of two known breast cancer genes. But stephanie is also a descendant of the Askanazi Jewish people who settled in eastern Europe.

"One out of 40 men and women who are Askanazi Jews carry a BRCA 1 or 2 mutations," said genetic counselor Katherine Hunt.

Hunt says the BRCA 1 or 2 genes raise your risk of getting breast cancer to 87-percent and your risk of getting ovarian cancer to 40-percent. Stephanie had the blood test to see if she carries the gene, she does and so does her sister.

"This shows all the generations who might be affected by the gene," said Hunt.

This generation now has the option of finding out if in fact they have the gene.

If so, they can choose between several prevention options:

1: close monitoring with self-breast exams and mammograms.

2: surgery to remove their breast tissue.

3: surgery to remove their ovaries.

"I'm the first generation of all my ancestors to find out what this problem was in the family. They used to just call it the family curse and be done with it," said Baskin.

Genetic counselor Katherine Hunt recommends that any woman who has a strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer may want to consider genetic testing. Knowing whether or not you have a gene that increases your risk of breast cancer could save your life.

If you would like more medical news, visit our health partners Web sites:

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center:http://www.mdanderson.org/

The Mayo Clinic:http://www.medicaledge.org

Baylor College of Medicine:http://public.bcm.tmc.edu/