What happens when you’re not the cancer that everyone is talking about? Funding, research, and headlines can often be noticeably lacking when you’re just a run-of-the-mill, life-threatening gene mutation, according to an article on Vogue.com. Such is the case with BRCA1 mutation breast cancer versus Lynch syndrome.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been capturing news headlines ever since Angelina Jolie shared with the world that she had the known gene defect that increased her chance of developing breast cancer. Her choice to have double mastectomy surgery made her a “previvor,” a term coined by FOCUS.

The previvor community is known for their strong alliance and voices driving research and resources to continue the fight, particularly for cancer.

So back to the quiet little sister to a “celebrity-branded” disease mutation. BRCA gene mutations are known to cause cancer issues in the breasts and ovaries. Lynch syndrome is an inherited condition that can also involve the ovaries, colon, uterus, pancreases, stomach, liver, bladder, and other major organs, including the skin.

If Lynch syndrome runs in your family, tell your doctor. You’ll probably be referred to a genetic counselor. The counselor will help you understand Lynch syndrome what’s the cause and what type of care you’ll need to consider. The general understanding is that if one parent is a Lynch syndrome carrier, the child is at a 50 percent risk to receive the mutation.

Although a positive test for Lynch syndrome does not guarantee you’ll get any of the related cancers, it does mean your chance to develop colon cancer is increased, and you will need a lifetime of monitoring. Treatment for colon cancer related to Lynch syndrome often involves surgery to remove more of the colon, as Lynch syndrome has a high chance of causing additional cancer issues in the future.

With everything that Lynch syndrome can affect in a women’s body, some women have opted for the pre-emptive strike to remove the very organs that might become cancerous, like the ovaries. To read more about Lynch syndrome and one woman’s decision to take her body’s future in her own hands, click here.

We’ve come a long way, baby! No longer are women tied to decisions that are being made by the bodies. When necessary we can change our future path and not become beholding to an unruly, little-known gene or two.

What do you think about the previvor approach? Share your thoughts, and your hopes, with the Patient Worthy community!

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and although it’s not a rare cancer, the BRCA Mutation IS a rare condition, that increases risk of breast cancer. Share this post to spread awareness today.