Minimizing Your Cancer Risk Through Regular Screenings & Genetic Testing
- News personality Donna Bell lost her mom to breast cancer in 2013 and is now battling the disease herself. Thankfully, she was able to catch the disease at an early stage and has announced she’s taking medical leave from work until she beats the disease.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women at average breast cancer risk begin screening at age 40. Women with the BRCA gene mutation, who have a family history of cancer, or have dense breasts are at higher risk and should talk with doctors about screening earlier.
- SurvivorNet experts recommend performing a monthly breast self-exam to look for anything unusual with your breasts as well.
- Patients diagnosed with advanced cancer may want to consider enrolling in a clinical trial. These trials help doctors discover more effective treatment methods and give patients a chance to try a treatment before it’s officially approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). To help find a clinical trial that’s right for you, try our Clinical Trial Finder.
Bell, who works as the WJHG-TV news director in Panama City Beach, Florida, and an anchor for NewsChannel at Noon, shared her diagnosis on NewsChannel 7 at 11 a.m., in hopes it will inspire others not to put off getting screened for cancer.
Read MoreShe then reminded those who have followed her personal life that her mom, Jane Middleton Bell, passed away at age 68 in 2013 from the same disease, noting her own diagnosis is certainly not easy to process.
Bell continued, “I don’t think it was a coincidence that I found my cancer on a mammogram on what would have been her 80th birthday. That mammogram was just seven and a half months after a normal mammogram.
“I felt like something was wrong, and I got it checked out. My doctor listened to my concerns and sent me for a mammogram that caught this at a very early stage.”
"Today will be my last newscast before I start my medical leave, and until I come back as a breast cancer survivor. I will be back." https://t.co/viyYppn2r9
— WJHG-TV (@WJHG_TV) August 23, 2024
She then urged other women like herself to “learn from my experience and listen to their bodies.”
“Take care of yourself, and if you think something may be wrong, see your doctor. Above all else, do not delay getting your mammograms and other important diagnostic tests. Early detection is key to beating cancer,” Bell explained.
“I’m by no means alone. According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. That’s one in eight too many. Please pray for all who are fighting cancer because prayers work.”
Bell, a loving mom of two and wife to her husband, concluded by professing her faith in god, miracles, and her “guardian angel mom” that helped her discover the cancer “early enough to save my life,” adding, “I’ll look forward to seeing you again when I return cancer-free.”
The news personality also took to Facebook, alongside a link to her official announcement, writing “Today I shared some news that’s very personal. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I ask for prayers, but not just for me. Pray for my amazing husband Dirk who I love so much and is always by my side, and for our beautiful sons Brock and Brody who inspire me with their strength and faith.
“Pray for my sweet Dad and brothers who know the battle with breast cancer way too well after we lost my mom in 2013. My battle is different! I caught this early, and I WILL get through it, starting with a double mastectomy next week.”
RELATED: Genetic Testing Can Empower You With Important Information
She continued, “A special thank you to my family doctor, Dr. Maria Parris, who literally saved my life, and Dr. Lindsey Weintritt-Davis at the Women’s Imaging center at Bay Radiology, and to the fabulous doctors at MD Anderson in Jacksonville who are at the ready to see me through.
“Pray for them to keep helping women like me through the marvels of modern medicine! And thank you to my co-worker and Assistant News Director Jessica Foster Bonner who is a breast cancer survivor. She’s helped me so much since my diagnosis and together we will make it our goal to help other women through journalism that matters. Pray for me, but don’t worry about me. I’m a fighter. I’ve got this!
RELATED: Considering Genetic Testing? Talk to Family if You Can
Bell serves on the Southeast Region Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Advisory Committee and previously received the American Cancer Society’s Hope award for raising breast cancer awareness in her community, so we’re delighted to see her using her own diagnosis to continue informing others about the disease.
And although it’s unclear what led to Bell’s breast cancer diagnosis, it’s important to understand that genetics to play a role in getting the disease.
Dr. Julie R. Gralow, the Chief Medical officer and the Executive Vice President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, tells SurvivorNet that “Germline genetic testing for inherited predisposition for breast (and ovarian) cancer can include just BRCA1/2 testing or a more comprehensive gene panel that might include 15-25 genes.”
Expert Resources On Early Detection & Cancer Screenings
- 6 Common Excuses for Skipping a Mammogram That You Need to Stop Using!
- How to Avoid False Positive Cancer Results in Women With Dense Breasts: Ultrasounds Used in Addition To Mammograms
- Breast Cancer: Introduction to Prevention & Screening
- The Mammogram Debate: Should Women Start Breast Cancer Screening at 30?
- Mammograms Are Still the Best Tool for Detecting Breast Cancer — A Warning About Thermography
- I Have Dense Breasts. Do I Need a 3D Mammogram?
Which Mutations Are Important to Look for in Breast Cancer?
The BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene changes are still the most important ones to look for in breast cancer. Together, they are responsible for about half of all hereditary breast cancers. In a person without mutations, these genes prevent cells from dividing haphazardly and uncontrollably. Mutations prevent these genes from doing their job and can allow unchecked growth of breast, ovarian, and other tissues. This voracious growth paves the path for cancer development.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations increase the risk of developing breast cancer by up to 85% during their lifetime. To break it down, only 13% of all women will develop breast cancer during their lifetimes. If they carry the mutations, their risk increases to 45%-72%, depending upon their exact mutation.
The presence of such mutations can have a significant impact on the treatment options for women carrying them. “Presence of a BRCA1/2 gene mutation (or others associated with high risk) may impact surgical decision-making in a patient who is newly diagnosed with breast cancer,” Dr. Gralow tells SurvivorNet.
“It should not really impact treatment of the current cancer (eligibility for lumpectomy versus mastectomy), but the presence of such a mutation carries a very high risk of developing a second breast cancer, so bilateral mastectomy is a reasonable consideration to reduce the risk of second cancer,” Dr. Gralow explains.
Recent research has also identified other mutations that may increase the risk of breast cancer. These include changes in PALB2, ATM, CHEK2, KRAS, CDH1, TP53, PTEN, and numerous other genes. Modern genetic testing panels can look for mutations in more than 80 genes simultaneously.
Understanding Who Should Receive Genetic Testing
Where can you get help after undergoing genetic testing?
“If someone gets a genetic test result back, it’s really important for them to know what this is. (What does this) mean for them? Put it into context,” Dr. Elisa Port, a surgical oncologist at Mount Sinai, previously explained to SurvivorNet.
Genetic counselors help patients during this critical phase of understanding.
“What does it mean for their family members? For their relatives? Genetic counseling to follow up genetic testing is a really, really important part of the whole process and is not always available in the direct-to-consumer type avenue.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your doctor can refer you for genetic counseling based on your personal and family health history.
Breast Cancer Screenings
Mammograms are used to screen for breast cancer. Women who haven’t gone through menopause are encouraged to get a mammogram annually between the ages of 45 and 54. If you have experienced menopause, you can get a mammogram every two years.
“We all agree regular screening mammography saves lives,” Dr. Connie Lehman, a professor at Harvard Medical School, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
The recommendations may vary between doctors and for patients who are considered “high-risk.” People at higher risk may have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation or have had radiation to the chest area when they were young. In cases like this, people in the high-risk category should begin annual mammograms at 30 years old.
Breast Cancer Symptoms & Self-Exams
Women are encouraged to do regular self-exams to become familiar with how their breasts feel normally so something like a lump can be easily detected. A self-exam includes pressing your fingertips along your breast in a circular motion.
If you feel something abnormal, such as a lump or discharge from the nipple, you should contact your doctor for further examination.
WATCH: How often should you get mammograms?
Below are common symptoms to look out for:
- New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast
- Swelling on all or part of the breast
- Skin dimpling or peeling
- Breast or nipple pain
- Nipple turning inward
- Redness or scaliness of breast or nipple skin
- Nipple discharge (not associated with breastfeeding)
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
