Does having endo cancer raise chance of getting breast cancer?

I just wanted to know if having had endo cancer raises the risk of getting breast cancer even if no further treatment was required after surgery? Are mamograms routine for patients who have had endo cancer because of this? How common is breast cancer found in such patients? I'm really nervous about my mamogram next week.

Mori,
Looking at the Mayo Clinic website, the risk factors for breast cancer are:

age - as one gets older, their risk goes up
personal history of breast cancer
family history of breast cancer - mother, sister, daughter
genetic dispositon - BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 positive
radiation exposure - radiation for cancer
excess weight
exposure to estrogen - age of beginning menses and menopause, pregnancies all factor in here
race - white
there are a few others which may be located here:Breast Cancer Risks

Recommended mammograms are:
Screening

As you can see, in the U.S, they are recommended either yearly or every two years beginning at the age of 40. I do not know what the recommendation for mammograms are in Canada.

From the looks of this, I think your doctors probably thought it was time for you to have a mammogram. Your doctor would be able to tell you if there is something he is concerned about.

I hope this helps.

s
Jane

Mori,

As an endometrial cancer survivor, I have always been closely watched for breast cancer, as a personal history of endometrial cancer raises the risk for breast cancer.

This is likely due to the fact, as the Mayo Clinic link below explains, the same factors that cause endometrial cancer cause breast cancer. I have had two breast biopsies over the years, both of which were benign. What your doctor is doing in having you go for a mammogram is just practicing good defensive medicine in light of your endometrial cancer history. As you say in your post, mammograms are routine for women like us with a history of EC.

Here's the link:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/end...306/DSECTION=4

Good luck with your mammogram and please try to stay calm. Yoga and deep breathing help. I've had about ten mammograms since my diagnosis and everything has turned out fine.

MoeKay

Hi Mori

I had a baseline mammogram done when I was 40 because I have no medical history (adopted). The protocol for my hospital is a new one done every 2 years and they just send a letter to remind me to book the appointment. I've been having yearly mammos for the past 5 years due to dense breast tissue - there's no problem (yet) just their protocol for prudent wellness.

So, it could be time for your baseline and will now be part of your wellness check-ups. My GYN/ONC didn't indicate any connection between the 2 cancers, plus I don't fit the profile for endo cancer anyway.

Best of luck with your "squeeze" and I hope you have a good, gentle technician - it makes a big difference.

With breast cancer, the overwhelming majority of women have no risk factors. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 44, and the only risk factor I had was living in NJ ...

	Quote:
With breast cancer, the overwhelming majority of women have no risk factors

Very true... while much is made of risk factors in worrying about breast cancer, the majority of us are not in the high risk category until we find ourselves diagnosed.

s,
-Linda

I think what people worry about with ladies with endometrial cancer is that unopposed estrogen is one of the etiologies for endometrial cancer. You have all this estrogen circulating and telling the endometrial tissue to grow, that docs wonder if the same thing is happening at the breast tissue level since estrogen receptors are also on breast tissue.

Also some genetic stuff related to uterine cancer can affect breast cancer risk too.

In the end though, I think people are just being conservative. I elected to be on the safe side given my uterine cancer diagnosis at an early age and got the mammogram. MAN! My little girls were in pain!!! And I had to go back a second time because they didn't get a good picture the first time... you would think they could have a better way of doing this rather than smashing your titties into pancakes.

Have fun with the mammo!
millie

MillieB,

You've really made me laugh with your lovely choice of words!!

On a more serious note though, even though we've had a TAH/BSO, are we still at a higher risk of getting breast cancer. My mother had breast cancer 9 years ago and my aunty (mum's sister) is currently being treated for it)

Geraldine

My appointment is tomorrow & I have to say I am quite nervous. I think since getting my endo ca. diagnosis, I have developed a fear of doctors giving me bad news. I'm also nervous about the pancake manoever, but that's the least of my worries.

Any cancer of the female reproductive increase your risk of breast cancer. At the same time, breast cancer increases your risk of ovca, uterine and now they are finding colon cancer,too.