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Guy with BRCA1 (Angelina Jolie) gene has healthy prostate removed

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Posted 5/19/2013 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/468834/20130519/cancer-prostate-first-man-angelina-jolie.htm

Has anyone seen this yet? Very interesting. I wonder how many of us might have this gene and could have done what this guy did.

Steve

NolaVette

Posted 5/19/2013 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know if I have this gene, but I fully support Angela's decision to do what she did.

I had a vasectomy when I was 27 years old; my wife and I knew that children would not be a part of our marriage. And if I knew then what I know now about the prevalence of PCa, how often it occurs, how bad it can get, etc., I can see myself making the decision back then to have my prostate removed as part of a proactive measure to prevent PCa from occurring. But that's me. I'm sure there are others that would disagree from my opinion.
Posted 5/19/2013 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
After re-reading the story I see that the guy actually had previously undetected cancer when they did the post-op gland testing.

Steve

NolaVette

Posted 5/20/2013 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
Get tested for your downstream responsibilities
Posted 5/20/2013 11:28 AM (GMT 0)
I hear the test cost about $3000 and is not covered by Ins.  I also wonder what the guy;s Gleason was in the pathology report. Maybe he turned out to be one those rare 4 or 5's. To be more accurate concerning the actual gene he has. It's actually the BCRA2 gene, which is related to the BCRA1 that Jolie has.
Posted 5/20/2013 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Steve, I always thought hat at some point I would be a PCa guy. Family history. I started watching my PSA at age 40. There was no shock when it started to show signs.

I'm not sure I would have been willing to have my fun gland removed before.

Cajun Jeff
Posted 5/20/2013 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
I'm with Cajun Jeff...I had family history of PCa so some higher likilihood of getting it.  But a pre-emptive strike by early surgery?  No way, no time, no how!

One of the problems with this type approach is that while it eliminates the gland and the possibility of getting the cancer, it also takes away the possibility that even if one does get the cancer down the road, science may have figured out a cure by then.

So, is this medical progress?  I'm not so sure.

Jim

Posted 5/20/2013 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed at 44 yrs old with bone mets and nodes envolved,my mother and her sister have Baraca 2 faulty gene and my mother has had breast and ovarian cancer.My younger sister carries the gene too and has recently had all lower parts removed and is facing a double mastectomy next year....She's very brave in my opinion but with odds up into a 90 percent chance of developing serious cancers what was she to do ?.I've never been tested for the defect cus I'm certain it would show and with metastatic desease I don't really need to ask the question.
Posted 5/20/2013 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
I would have liked to have caught my cancer sooner. But knowing the issues I am facing now after surgery, I don't know if I could have removed a healthy prostate on the belief it may one day turn cancerous. It still would be great if there was another test to catch PC earlier. The regular DRE and yearly PSA did not catch mine until I was a Gleason 7 (4+3).
Posted 5/20/2013 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
What Jolie did was incredibly brave (of course she can afford a pair of Hollywood's finest breasts).

But I'm with Jeff too, I wouldn't get rid of any important organ preemptively like that.
Posted 5/20/2013 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
I wouldn't do it either, just found the story interesting. Now, if they could find a way to keep the air conditioning in my house working...getting a little swampy at my place down here in New Orleans right now.

Steve

NolaVette

 

Posted 5/20/2013 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
no sympathy from me. I'm heading to "swampy" Italy where even when AC is working locals literlaly block the vents because they think it will cause ailments like "stiff neck".

My sister is doing the test btw.
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