How genetic testing could help you find breast cancer early

RICHMOND, Va. — Even during chemotherapy treatments, Lulu De Panbehchi had a smile on her face in just about every picture.

“The practice of smiling and taking your photo to document yourself to let mom know you're doing alright helps a lot,” Lulu said.

To her mom in Mexico, Lulu seemed good, but in reality, she was battling breast cancer.

“I said I have something here and I don't like it and it doesn't look right,” Lulu said.

Lulu was 41 years old when she was diagnosed in August 2011. She had a lumpectomy, radiation, and genetic testing.

“And they told me what the results meant, that I would develop maybe a new cancer,” Lulu said.

Almost exactly one year later, Lulu was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in her other breast — an aggressive form of cancer.

She said the genetic test helped her prepare.

“What I think it gave me was this information to just prepare. Mentally prepare for the worst,” Lulu said.

“Genetic testing could certainly be life changing if it provides good information,” Dr. John Quillin, a genetic counselor with VCU Massey Cancer Center, said.

A blood or saliva sample is used for genetic testing. Doctors are looking for a genetic mutation that increases someone's chances of developing cancer.

“Or perhaps provide an explanation for why someone develops their cancers and cancers in the family,” Quillin said.

So, who should get genetic testing? Quillin said typically breast cancer patients under the age of 50 and/or a patient who develops more than one type of cancer and has a family history of cancer.

“Some people don't think of the father's side for breast cancer, but the risk can be inherited from the father's side as equally as it can be inherited from the mother's side,” Quillin said.

Quillin said getting this kind of genetic information could be hard to handle.

“People are different in terms of how they're going to feel with the results, whether they are information seekers or would rather not have that knowledge about future cancer risks,” Quillin said.

Although Lulu welcomed the testing information for herself, she said it was difficult to get other family members to be more proactive.

In 2020, her younger sister died of breast cancer. Lulu said genetic counseling helped her process it all. A trained professional helps patients with the medical and psychological implications of genetic testing.