Julie Moon of Athens comes from a family familiar with breast cancer.
After testing positive for a BRCA1 mutation in 2011, Moon found out she had an 80 percent risk of getting breast cancer in her lifetime.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 are human genes that belong to a class of genes known as tumor suppressors. Mutation of these genes has been linked to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.
In November 2011, Moon began researching mastectomy and reconstruction options and chose to have a bilateral mastectomy and a GAP flap reconstruction, or natural breast reconstruction.
A GAP flap reconstruction uses fat tissue taken from the upper gluteal area to create breast mounds.
?Some people call it brave. I call it smart,? Moon said. ?I was able to make a decision and do something kind of risky now so I could be there for my children and not have to give them intense news about my fate (if I were diagnosed with breast cancer).?
Her first surgery took place Feb. 1. During the 12-hour reconstruction surgery, two plastic surgeons worked on Moon simultaneously.
The surgery started with the mastectomy. Then Moon was turned over, and tissue was taken from her gluteal area.
Surgeons then turned Moon back over and performed a microsurgery to connect all of the blood vessels within the tissue and chest wall until blood was flowing through the tissue.
?I felt strongly that I didn?t want to have anything foreign in my body for the rest of my life, which is what led me to decide on natural breast reconstruction,? Moon said.
Since the procedure uses fat tissue, the reconstructed breasts will grow and shrink as Moon gains and loses weight, are warm and feel like a woman?s normal body. Another difference between a reconstruction with implants and one with natural tissue is that implants eventually have to be replaced.
?These will last until I?m 80,? Moon said.
Stage two of her surgery took place on May 22, and surgeons revised her breast scars and began to recreate her left nipple.
The third and final surgery is scheduled for Nov. 27. Surgeons will finish her breast revisions and revise her donor site scars.
?I feel blessed that my breasts were something I could lose and still live a healthy, happy life. If I found out something was wrong with my heart, I couldn?t just replace it,? Moon said. ?It?s a blessing that we were able to find this out, that I?m able to eliminate that risk from my life.?
Both men and woman can carry a mutation of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, and Moon suggests that all get tested so they will know their risks. Moon?s sister tested negative for a mutation, but her brother tested positive.
Moon feels it?s important to talk about breast cancer and breast cancer treatments because there still is so much that is misunderstood, one of them being that health insurance will not pay for a reconstruction surgery.
?Now when a woman has a mastectomy, insurance is required to pay for her to have a breast reconstruction,? Moon said. ?That?s the only reason I was able to do what I have been able to do. Otherwise, I would have to just wait until I got breast cancer because there?s no way I could have paid for (a reconstruction).?
Moon now is considered part of the previvor community, which is made up of people that are survivors of a predisposition to cancer.
?We?re really trying to educate others, because we?re kind of the link to stopping breast cancer, to figure out how to battle it,? Moon said. ?There are some (diseases) that we don?t deal with anymore. Maybe this is the way to fight breast cancer. If we can?t come up with a cure for it, or a way to block the mutation, maybe we can take control of it before it takes control of us.?
For more details on Moon?s story, or to contact her with questions, visit her blog at www.sayitanyway.com.
For more information about breast cancer and breast reconstruction options, visit www.facingourrisk.org.
? Follow faith, health and Blueprint reporter April Burkhart at www.facebook.com/AprilBurkhartABH.
Source: http://onlineathens.com/health/2012-10-15/local-woman-stopped-breast-cancer-it-started
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