What the heck is PALB2

So I'm clearly no expert, I mean I've had this gene mutation since conception but have only known about it for 3 days.

P -Partner

A-and

L-Localizer of

B- BRCA2."

The gene is located on chromosome 16. PALB2 works together with BRCA2 to repair damaged DNA.

Lots of people have heard of BRCA - Angelina Jolie has had a few preventative surgeries as her genetic mutation was BRCA1.

But back to me.

Increased lifetime cancer risks associated with a PALB2 mutation:

• Women who have a mutation in PALB2 are at increased risk for breast cancer. The estimated lifetime risk is between 33 - 58%.

• Women with a PALB2 mutation may be at increased risk for ovarian cancer.

• Men and women with a PALB2 mutation are at slightly increased risk for pancreatic cancer.

• There is unknown or insufficient evidence of risk for other cancers in people with a PALB2 mutation

I keep looking for a proper chart but this is the best way for me to describe it.

Each person gets two of these genes one from the mother one from the father.

so

Dad xx - Mom xo

Me xo

Now if my husband also had xo, there is a chance our kids could have have oo. If they had oo there is a variety of childhood cancers and developmental problems.But thankfully we think it's OK and instead we just have to worry if they have my bad gene.

My grandmother has been tested and does not have the gene so we can blame this on my grandfathers side of the family.

My grandmothers mother died of ovarian cancer.

My mother had two different types of breast cancer. Her second cancer prompted genetic testing, which lead to me getting tested and finding out these results.

(building this blog is especially nice, because it's randomly linking me to my husbands phone pics and I've never seen most of these pictures before today)