NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Could men with a family history of breast cancer undergo testing that tells them if they're at risk for prostate cancer? It may sound unlikely, but a local physician says it's possible through genetic testing.
"Well, it's a very simple test. It's either a blood test or a saliva test, and sent off to a lab," said Dr. Aaron Chevinsky, the Director of Oncology at Riverside Health System.
Watch: Don't fear the finger! A journey through prostate cancer
Dr. Chevinsky says the test helps detect a bad version of a particular gene: the BRCA gene, which stands for Breast Cancer-Associated Gene. If you have the mutated gene, it could mean you have a higher chance of getting prostate cancer.
"The BRCA gene is a normal gene in your body that everybody has... Everybody has the gene, but not everybody has the abnormal copy of the gene," explained Dr. Chevinsky.
He continued, "The most common cancer associated with BRCA is breast, and that's what people tend to think about. But BRCA is also associated with ovarian cancer; it's associated with prostate cancer and several other cancers as well."
I asked the doctor why it's named the BRCA gene if it's also associated with other cancers.
"It was first found with breast cancer, and that's where the gene stuck," he explained.
Watch: Man learns he has prostate cancer after Kurt Williams' story motivated him to get tested
Chevinsky says since BRCA genes help fight cancer, those with an abnormality in the gene could be vulnerable.
"The BRCA is usually a tumor suppressor gene, meaning it's the custodian of your body. It goes around finding cancers and snips them up," explained Chevinsky. "If that gene doesn't work effectively, it puts you at higher risk for cancer. If a woman has a BRCA gene, their chance of developing breast cancer—50 to 80% lifetime risk."
Men with the bad version of this gene could also be impacted, Chevinsky says.
"Any man in the United States has 16%... chance of getting prostate cancer—if you have a mutated BRCA gene, that risk is anywhere from 20% to 40%, maybe as high as 60%."
Watch previous coverage: Kurt Williams makes a treatment choice for his prostate cancer
Chevinsky says the takeaway is clear: "Know your family history—what cancers were in the family? What's the closeness to you? What age did they develop the cancer? Knowledge is always power. Knowing what your risks are is always powerful."
However, he believes genetic testing is not for everyone.
"Typically, before we test people, we have them speak to a genetic counselor. They do a detailed family history of you. They look at what your history is, who's had cancer, what age, and tell you whether you're qualified to have the test."
Chevinsky says most genetic testing results are back in two weeks. He says the important thing is to have that conversation with your provider to see if that's the next step for you.
