Topic: Anyone test Neg via CompBRCA testing but Pos via BART?

Dec 1, 2012 11:17 PM Deyrl wrote:

Weety, my BS ordered BART, but the insurance company says after investigating my case they determined it would be experimental. Myriad says I qualify as high risk.

My doctors should have gotten my BRCA results last week, but apparently my BS feels it would be better for me to wait until I see a geneticist on Tuesday to get my results. I'll probably ask for the BART test if I'm BRCA negative just because I personally want to know if my cancer is related to either of my dad's parents' early cancer deaths.

Is your dad doing ok?

Dec 4, 2012 09:30 PM Deyrl wrote:

Weety, I found out I'm BRCA negative and the geneticist believes from a statistical standpoint it would be very unlikely I would have BART come back positive.  She said there is enough of a family history in my case to suspect some sort of mutation, but whether or not there is a test yet that would find it - who knows.  I don't have any nieces, sisters, or daughters - I do have two sons and I do worry a little for them.  I will probably stop here with the testing unless my insurance covers the new BreastNext test, which I doubt it will.  It turns out my insurance is one of the very last holdouts against paying for the BART test.

Dec 5, 2012 10:11 PM Deyrl wrote:

That is exactly how I feel - it does sound wrong but it would be nice to have an explanation.  Plus I never got to know any of my grandparents and I guess I am wishing for a tangible connection.  Now that seems kind of stupid, since I could point to any number of things, like my crooked teeth and goofy smile, that look like my grandma's.  The cancer is dramatic though - and my dad has always been quiet about what he went through with his parents, so I focus on that. 

The geneticist told me BreastNext JUST became available very recently - in the past month or two?  If you google it, it says Ambry genetics does it, and it lists several genes they test.  Takes two months to get results.  One of the genes they test also is a factor for pancreatic cancer, so maybe you are having that one tested already.  I read a critique of this test saying it costs a lot and a lot of the genes on the list - except for the CHK2 or check2 (?) - are only going to be a factor for a tiny minority of women.  My geneticist said Humana might pay for it just because it's so new they haven't figured out yet what their policy is on it. 

Jan 20, 2013 01:10 AM NicoleJasien wrote:

I was negative according to the BRCA test, but was BRCA 2 positive after they ran the BART test so I would do both if you can.

Feb 3, 2013 02:56 PM Golden01 wrote:

I was negative for BRCA1, BRCA2 and BART. Had my blood drawn for the BreastNext test on Friday so will wait for the results. My mother has breast cancer and five of my twelve women cousins on her side of the family have had breast cancer too. My oncologist was doubtful than my insurance would pay for any testing but I chose to go to the university-based cancer center in my state to see their genetics counselors. They have been successful in getting approval from my insurance company for each of the tests. I did need to see a doctor (a geneticist) for the BreastNext test to be covered. One of the main reasons I wanted to go ahead with the test is to share any results with my cousins as well as know more about my own risk for other cancers.

At the visit, they explained that about one third of the genes in the test have a known link to cancer, about one third are known to not be linked to cancer, and another third they aren't sure about. In other words, the test may result in more questions and unknowns but I think information, of any kind, is helpful to me.