Finding Hope During Holidays
- Former “Baywatch” star Nicole Eggert, 52, expressed gratitude while participating in an annual Hollywood Christmas parade just a year after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
- Eggert was diagnosed with stage 2 cribriform carcinoma breast cancer after discovering a lump in her breast while performing a self-breast exam. The rare type of breast cancer Eggert has is often slow-growing and low-grade.
- Self exams are important as they can help detect cancer early. Genetic testing can also play a role in prevention and early detection.
- Genetic testing can be as simple as a saliva swab or blood sample. The results help your care team determine if you have a specific mutation that puts you at higher risk for cancer. The results can also help doctors tailor treatment.
- Germline genetic testing for inherited predisposition for breast (and ovarian) cancer can include just BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing (gene mutations that elevate cancer risk) or a more comprehensive gene panel.
This event allowed her to immerse herself in the joys of the holiday season, momentarily stepping away from the relentless stress of her cancer battle.
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Other social media users noted how beautiful Eggert looks as she dazzled the crowd during the Christmas parade.
“You look gorgeous! So happy to see you looking happy,” Instagram user Kristin Kostrzewa commented.
Eggert, who is still undergoing treatment, recently spoke on the “Real Pink” podcast, and she encouraged other patients to follow their gut when it comes to the treatment and to stay current with regular health checks.
“I have a saying where I say, feel yourself up, men, women, everybody get to know yourself because if I had been doing the self-exams prior and more frequently, I would have found it sooner, and my journey would have been a lot easier,” she said.
“Do all of the things: do your mammograms, do your self-exams, just do them because if you’re afraid of a mammogram, I really don’t want to see you faced with chemo or mastectomy or any of these things, and the sooner you find it, the easier it is to treat,” Eggert said.
Eggert’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis and How Genetic Testing Can Help
Eggert was diagnosed with stage 2 cribriform carcinoma breast cancer after discovering a lump in her breast while performing a self-breast exam.
This type of exam is an easy way to keep watch for anything abnormal regarding your breasts. It involves feeling the breast for any swelling, bulging, or changes in the shape of the breast or nipple. Checking for signs of redness, rashes, or discharge is also part of this exam. If anything is found to be concerning, you should contact your doctor. It’s important to note that self-exams should be done with regular mammograms.
WATCH: Which Mutations Are Important to Look for in Breast Cancer?
For those with a family history of cancer, genetic testing should also be considered.
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.”
Related: Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer: What is It & What Do My Results Mean?
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 work to 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 a person’s 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.
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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,” says Dr. Gralow. “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.”
Research has also identified other mutations, which may also increase the risk of breast cancer development. These include changes in the 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.
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Understanding the Results of 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,” Dr. Post added.
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.
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