A food lover’s decision to remove her stomach highlights difficult decisions around cancer risk

https://www.facingourrisk.org/XRAY/hereditary-stomach-cancer-CDH1

Full article: https://www.npr.org/2022/05/12/1098550511/genetic-testing-is-it-better-not-to-know

National Public Radio reporter Sáša Woodruff shares her story of learning about her CDH1 mutation and making a decision about risk-reducing surgery. Mutations in the CDH1 gene significantly increase a person’s risk of stomach and breast cancers. Woodruff’s personal essay describes the psychological challenge of making decisions about risk-reducing surgeries and draws attention to a lesser-known mutation linked to hereditary cancer. (Posted 5/17/23)

Este artículo está disponible en español.

Questions To Ask Your Health Care Provider

I have a family or personal history of stomach cancer or lobular breast cancer. Should I consider genetic testing?
What is my risk of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer?
What is my risk of other cancers associated with my CDH1 mutation?
What options do I have for risk reduction?
What are the benefits and downsides of risk-reducing surgeries? Of surveillance?
What risk-reducing options are best suited to my family history?

Open Clinical Trials

NCT03030404: Hereditary Gastric Cancer Syndromes: An Integrated Genomic and Clinicopathologic Study of the Predisposition to Gastric Cancer. Researchers want to gather data to better understand changes in the body caused by hereditary gastric cancers.

About FORCE

FORCE is a national nonprofit organization, established in 1999. Our mission is to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by adult hereditary cancers.