I'm 36. There were 240 people in my H.S. graduating class.

[Deleted]

Let's guesstimate half of my class were female.  So, 120 females.

In the past 8 months, two of these females have had aggressive breast cancer, requiring double masectomy's.

Now, I don't follow the stats for breast cancer all that closely.  But I feel like thats pretty abnormal for our age group. 

So scary.

[sonrisa]

Jul 21, 2014 23:12:19 GMT -5 fields said:

Let's guesstimate half of my class were female.  So, 120 females.

In the past 8 months, two of these females have had aggressive breast cancer, requiring double masectomy's.

Now, I don't follow the stats for breast cancer all that closely.  But I feel like thats pretty abnormal for our age group. 

So scary.

That is scary. The bay area has a higher than average rate of breast cancer.

[dowagercountess]

Have you been screened?

[Deleted]

I live near here

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Susana_Field_Laboratory

"In October 2006, the Santa Susana Field Laboratory Advisory Panel, made up of independent scientists and researchers from around the United States, concluded that contamination at the facility resulted in between 0 and 1,800 cancer deaths (the average estimate was 300 deaths). The report also concluded that the SRE meltdown caused the release of more than 458 times the amount of radiation released by the Three Mile Island accident.[2]"

My BFF's dad has seen an entire neighborhood of friends and acquaintances die of cancer over the years.  

[Deleted]

Jul 21, 2014 23:17:26 GMT -5 dowagercountess said:

Have you been screened?

I have not.  We have zero family history of this type of cancer.  I do self exams and have not felt anything.

[Deleted]

Jul 21, 2014 23:15:10 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

Jul 21, 2014 23:12:19 GMT -5 fields said:

Let's guesstimate half of my class were female.  So, 120 females.

In the past 8 months, two of these females have had aggressive breast cancer, requiring double masectomy's.

Now, I don't follow the stats for breast cancer all that closely.  But I feel like thats pretty abnormal for our age group. 

So scary.

That is scary. The bay area has a higher than average rate of breast cancer.

I didn't know this - any hypothesis' as to why? 

[Deleted]

Jul 21, 2014 23:20:38 GMT -5 @fucksticklegit said:

I live near here

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Susana_Field_Laboratory

"In October 2006, the Santa Susana Field Laboratory Advisory Panel, made up of independent scientists and researchers from around the United States, concluded that contamination at the facility resulted in between 0 and 1,800 cancer deaths (the average estimate was 300 deaths). The report also concluded that the SRE meltdown caused the release of more than 458 times the amount of radiation released by the Three Mile Island accident.[2]"

My BFF's dad has seen an entire neighborhood of friends and acquaintances die of cancer over the years.  

Wow - that is so so sad

[cst2cst]

How awful. Statistically 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer, which is crazy high. Triple negative BC is very aggressive and tends to be found in younger women. If two young women have it, it isn't surprising that it is aggressive, but that does seem like a lot in such a small window. Lots of good thoughts for them.

[sonrisa]

Jul 21, 2014 23:25:19 GMT -5 fields said:

Jul 21, 2014 23:15:10 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

That is scary. The bay area has a higher than average rate of breast cancer.

I didn't know this - any hypothesis' as to why? 

here's an article on it. Marin has really high rates.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/bay-area-breast-cancer_n_2197193.html

Here's a map

www.sfgate.com/health/article/Bay-Area-breast-cancer-clusters-seen-4068698.php

[sonrisa]

Jul 22, 2014 1:29:06 GMT -5 eso said:

Jul 22, 2014 1:13:09 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

here's an article on it. Marin has really high rates.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/bay-area-breast-cancer_n_2197193.html

Here's a map

www.sfgate.com/health/article/Bay-Area-breast-cancer-clusters-seen-4068698.php

Good God! I am planning to move up there. Now I'm all freaked out. Thanks for the links. I guess we're sticking to north of SF, rather than East Bay.

Sheeze.

The huffington post article is about how they've shifted their focus beyond just Marin - the initial focus of concern. LEt me pull something better.

(BTW: I'm in Marin and I've lived in SF and Berkeley if you want other info on life up here)

cehtp.org/resources/breast_cancer_mapping/

[sonrisa]

What are you looking for?

[cleo29]

The actually, our age is just about right. My sister has several friends with breast cancer, all diagnosed in their late 30s early 40s. Her one friend is undergoing surgery on Thursday.

Also, for as much talk about the breast cancer gene, it makes up only 8% of cases, which is really not as high as one might have thought.

I have breast cancer on my dad's side, but a ton of cancer on my mom's side in general. I am religious about checking out my breasts, having already had one lump removed when I was 20 and a few other scares since then.

[wambam]

A guy I went to HS with married this girl who ended up having breast cancer at age 20 (they got married when she was 18). Their marriage had ended by that point, but holy crap, how awful is that?