Gene Fear for Cancer Survivor

A Christchurch breast cancer survivor is living in fear after finding she has a rare genetic mutation that makes the killer disease likely to return.

Redwood mother-of-three Linda Karaka, 46, who had a mastectomy last November, is now desperate to have her second breast removed to prevent the cancer returning, but she faces a six-month wait.

“I’m a ticking time-bomb,” she said.

“It is so fast-growing, it cannot be there one minute and not there the next.”

About 5 per cent of all breast cancer is due to a mutation in a gene that normally suppresses the growth of tumours.

Karaka has two close relatives who have also suffered breast cancer, and she suspected she had the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

On Monday, her worst fears were confirmed — she had the gene and was at high risk of her breast cancer returning.

A woman carrying the BRCA mutation has a 50% chance of developing breast cancer by the age of 50, with risk increasing with age. She is also more likely than others to get ovarian cancer.

Men who carry the mutation have a 1% risk of developing breast cancer and a greater chance of prostate cancer.

Karaka was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. She paid $11,000 for a private mastectomy in November after being told she had an aggressive grade-three cancer.

“They said it would be a longer wait if I went through the public system, and we weren’t going to wait,” she said.

Karaka works part-time in a service station and was reluctant to borrow another $11,000 for a second mastectomy.

“I’m trying to trust the health system … but how can you get on with your life?

“I don’t want to be bald again and go through all that. Why not do it while I’m healthy and there is less risk?”

Karaka also wanted her ovaries removed to eliminate the risk of ovarian cancer.

The Canterbury District Health Board said cases such as Karaka’s were likely to be treated as “semi-urgent”, with a mastectomy offered within six months.

It said that women with breast cancer had surgery within six weeks and usually within two to four weeks. Demand had peaked last November, but no-one waited more than six weeks.

Breast physician Dr Jackie Blue said several women carrying the breast cancer gene opted for a prophylactic mas- tectomy.

“It is very rational and is not something they do lightly. It’s something they would think long and hard about.”

The alternative was to have annual mammograms and six- monthly or yearly specialist examinations.

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