Betty Villegas and her sister, Irma Santa Cruz, lost their mother to ovarian cancer when they were young girls.
Monica Davis was 3 when her mom died of breast cancer.
All three women were tested for a hereditary mutated gene that greatly increases their risks in developing cancers.
Villegas, 55, Santa Cruz, 52, and Davis, 32, are all carriers of the gene known as BRCA1, and they want to get the word out to Latinas about this gene and how to go about getting tested for it.
These women invite Latinas and all who are interested in learning about BRCA1 to a 9 a.m. free panel discussion about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer March 21 in the community room at the Arizona Daily Star's main plant at 4850 S. Park Ave.
Other panel participants are Diana Uribe, an outreach volunteer with Susan G. Komen for the Cure; Jessica Ray, a genetic counselor with the Arizona Cancer Center; and Dr. Ana Maria Lopez, an oncologist who specializes in breast cancer and is an associate professor of clinical medicine and pathology at the Arizona Cancer Center.
"It's up to us to be persistent, research our own symptoms and know our bodies," said Villegas, an affordable-housing-program manager for Pima County. She said she believes her mother was a carrier of the gene but remembers that when she went several times to the doctor for answers about why she was feeling sick, her cancer was misdiagnosed.
It was discovered about two years later and her mother, Olga Moreno, died of ovarian cancer at age 39, leaving behind four children. Two months later, the children lost their father, Carlos Moreno, who died from complications of multiple sclerosis.
"Us as women, Latinas, always leave ourselves for last when it comes to our general care," she said. "We make sure everyone else in the family is taken care of first. When it comes to our medical care, if we wait it may be too late."
In November 2004, Villegas was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she had a mastectomy and went through chemotherapy.
Villegas, a mother of three, undergoes exams every four months to see whether she remains cancer-free.
In 2006, her gynecologist advised her to get genetic testing because of her family history, and she tested positive for a mutation of the BRCA1 gene. Villegas remembers getting the news that this put her at an 85 percent chance of getting a second breast cancer, and a 65 percent chance of getting ovarian cancer.
She had counseling and decided to take control of her life. "I decided to have a full mastectomy and a full hysterectomy," she said. "Now, I have a 5 percent chance of developing breast cancer and a 2 percent chance for ovarian cancer."
"When there is more than one woman diagnosed with breast and/or ovarian cancer on the same side of the family, there is a chance the reason for the cancer is genetic," said Ray, the genetic counselor.
Genetic testing can show if there are risks for other cancers, and risks to the person's children, brothers and sisters, Ray said.
"Typically in families where there is a genetic mutation we see cancer in every generation and the goal of genetic testing is to put an end to that pattern," Ray said.
She said information can help people reduce their chances of developing cancer. Options include increased screening, preventive surgeries and medications.
During the March 21 presentation, portions of PBS documentary "In the Family" will be viewed. The documentary focuses on tough decisions made after testing positive for the mutation of the BRCA gene, and whether to have preventive surgeries to remove healthy breasts and ovaries, or to gamble on high chances of developing cancer.
Among the stories in the documentary are those of Villegas and her daughter, Olga Guzman-Flores, who had a 50 percent chance of having the gene mutation. It turns out that Guzman-Flores does not. Villegas has two sons, who are not in the documentary, who have not undergone genetic testing.
Knowing you have the hereditary mutated gene gives you treatment options, said Santa Cruz. She had a hysterectomy at 39, not because of cancer, but because of other medical reasons.
But Santa Cruz was diagnosed with breast cancer at 44. She had a lumpectomy, radiation and chemotherapy. She underwent genetic testing in 2007, and now that she knows she has BRCA1, she has decided to have a full mastectomy as a preventive measure.
However, Santa Cruz said she needs to find an option that is covered by her health insurance and a surgeon who specializes in reconstructive breast surgery.
Meanwhile, she has exams every six months. "I'm always scared," said Santa Cruz, a technician for a pediatric ophthalmologist. "I go to the doctor and I'm scared, but you can't let it control your life."
Santa Cruz said one son and a daughter both underwent genetic testing and tested positive for BRCA1. Another son has not undergone testing.
Villegas and Santa Cruz have two brothers,: One tested negative for the mutation and the other has not taken the test.
Davis, the other panelist, is a prevention specialist at the University of Arizona's Southwest Institute for Research on Women, and she said she tested positive in 2006 and underwent a full mastectomy to eliminate an 87 percent risk of developing breast cancer.
She said she opted against having a hysterectomy because she is single and having children is still a possibility. Davis said she also knows that she has a 50 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer.
For Villegas, she said she gets her strength from her faith. "My mom taught us our faith, and without that we wouldn't be who we are today," she said. "In being a part of this panel discussion and future ones, we just want to help other Latinas know about this condition and the options they have for treatment."
Contact reporter Carmen Duarte at 573-4104 or at cduarte@azstarnet.com. To see more of The Arizona Daily Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.azstarnet.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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