Bi-lateral Mastectomy

It is certainly not too late to be tested. BRCA 1 and 2 testing can be done on DNA extracted for a blood sample or from a buccal swab. NCCN guidelines for who should be offered testing were updated in April 2011. Generally if the guidelines are followed, insurance will cover the testing.

Myriad will provide testing kits to a doctor's office to facilitate the sample being sent in. I'm not a doctor but I do know you CAN be tested even though you already had a mastectomy. The BRCA gene is tested using blood (not tissue sample). There are other things that can be determined only with tissue (ER/PR status of tumor) but BRCA only requires a blood draw and it can be done at any time on anyone.

AnneMarie