‘BRCA gene test could have detected cancer risk’ warns Newark mum Lisa Brown

A mum is campaigning for more awareness of testing as she battles an aggressive form of cancer.

Lisa Brown, 42, of Newark, was diagnosed with stage three triple negative breast cancer ­— a fast growing and aggressive cancer ­— in January.

But she feels things could have been different if she had known about the BRCA gene test.

Anyone aged 18 or over can be tested for the BRCA gene ­— a blood test to determine if there are mutations in the DNA that increase the risk of certain cancers.

“I had never heard of BRCA until they spoke to me about it at City Hospital, I have a lot of family members who passed away due to cancer and I lost my mum when I was ten years old through breast cancer, and she was treated and died at City Hospital,” said Lisa.

“I’m putting no blame on anybody, but what should have happened is I should have been picked up. The history should have been a big red flag and should that have happened or I was aware of it, I could have asked for the testing and made informed decisions, I probably wouldn’t be in the position I am today.”

According to the NHS, if someone carries the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, it can greatly increase a woman’s chance of breast and ovarian cancer, as well as a man’s chance of developing male breast cancer or prostate cancer.

Lisa is having eight rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and radiotherapy over a year, before having further treatment.

She said: “I found a lump in my breast, and from my first scan I had a real in-depth scan three weeks later, and had biopsies in between, but in three weeks two further lumps had grown, and its in my lymph nodes as well unfortunately.

“I was genetic tested and unfortunately I have the BRCA1 gene, which has mutated, and because of that I will be having further treatment to remove my ovaries and fallopian tubes, because it puts you at such a high risk of developing breast cancer, which I obviously already have, and ovarian cancer.”

Now Lisa is trying to do as many positive things as she can, including raising awareness of the BRCA test.

She said: “My daughters are 14 and 16, so I can’t get them tested yet and that has been one of the most difficult things I have had to deal with, knowing that I can’t find out if I’ve passed the gene on to them or not.

“Not being allowed to do the blood test to at least let you know if your children have it or not is harrowing. I probably won’t deal with it fully until they have their tests done, but we just have to wait.”

Despite the aggressive cancer, Lisa is continuing to remain positive and feels the chemotherapy is doing its job.

Lisa said: “I understand my body alone can’t beat cancer, and I need this treatment and the surgeries.

“When I saw the red chemo coming down the IV line and it went in, I was just so positive and I thought it was brilliant, as up until this point the cancer had been winning and had control over everything but the split second that chemo went in meant that I could go to war against the cancer.”

Lisa said the experience had been overwhelming, and while she had come to terms with her diagnosis it had brought up a lot of past pain as many family members had also faced it, including mum Ann Sherri Brown.

She said: “I did think for a lot of years when I was young that I would get cancer because my mum had it, and I would die at a young age, as my mum was only 34, and that played on my mind.”

She urges anyone with a personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer to consider the BRCA test.

“I would strongly recommend that they speak to their GP in the first instance and request to have the testing done or at least be given further information about it, because once you have been tested you will know 100% if you have it or not,” she said.

“I just wish I had known beforehand. It would not have changed the fact that I carry the BRCA gene and it’s mutated, but I could be in a situation where if I had had my breasts removed then I wouldn’t have cancer."

Lisa praised Maggie’s Nottingham for their help, and says they have been a great support throughout.