Lack of family history doesn't mean breast cancer pass

Having no family history of breast cancer doesn't mean you get a free pass from the disease. Brooke Thomas learned this lesson in August when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. "I was shocked when I found out it was breast cancer and my family was floored to find out this was happening," the 35-year-old social worker at Athens Regional Medical Center said. "No one in my family has ever been diagnosed with cancer of any kind. I have no family history of breast cancer."

Upon getting the diagnosis Thomas already knew she would have to undergo chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, she said. A mass measuring about nine centimeters had formed in her left breast and the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. After five months of chemotherapy at ARMC, Thomas elected to have a double mastectomy to reduce the chances that the cancer would return. The surgery was followed by six weeks of radiation that wrapped up in May.

"I've been cancer free since May," Thomas said.

She plans to have reconstructive surgery next year, she said.

Throughout it all, Thomas tried to keep things as normal as possible for her young daughters with the help and support of her husband and family, she said. But she was overwhelmed by the support she received from the community.

"The community support we got blew us away," she said. "People were very purposeful in their actions; bringing dinner to our house, picking up my kids for me, having them on play dates. I had no idea a community could support you like that."

Since being diagnosed with breast cancer, Thomas and her mother have undergone genetic testing. Both tested positive for a mutated BRCA gene, Thomas said.

BRCA gene mutates, it can fail to produce tumor suppressing proteins.

"I'm doing some preventative measures," Thomas said. "I'm going to have a hysterectomy soon to prevent other female cancers linked to the BRCA gene. My mother also plans to take preventative measures."

Thomas also plans to have her daughters tested for the BRCA gene when they are old enough.

Because she was young and had no family history, Thomas admits she didn't think breast cancer was something she needed to worry about and that she let screenings such as self-breast exams slide. Today, she encourages women to do routine self and medical exams no matter what age they are.

"We think of breast cancer as a cancer that only older women get, but women are getting diagnosed younger and younger," said Thomas, who was diagnosed at age 34. "Don't put off mammograms or yearly exams or self-exams because they are so important. If I had been more proactive, (my cancer) could have been caught earlier and I might have avoided some of my treatments."

Follow features reporter April Burkhart at www.facebook.com/AprilBurkhartABH.