Author Informs Others About Breast Cancer Gene Mutations

MIAMI (CBS4) -- Many women may not realize breast cancer gene mutations do not always show up in a family history as breast cancer. Some BRCA 1 mutations also cause ovarian cancer.

"My sisters and I are immensely private women," said Amy Boesky. "So the idea of sharing this publicly sort of goes to the core of who you are."

Boesky, a professor of literature at Boston College, never expected she would write a book about a very private topic, her family's genetic mutation, and travel the U.S. speaking about it.

"Our family has BRCA 1," explained Boesky. "My mother's mother died of ovarian cancer, when my mother had just finished her freshman year of college. Her sister died of ovarian cancer a few years later. And then my mother's first and only cousin died of ovarian cancer in her late 40s."

Boesky's mother had a hysterectomy that protected her from ovarian cancer, but they didn't realize that she was at risk for another cancer too.

"And then she got breast cancer, said Boesky. "And we didn't know, none of us knew."

Boesky tells audiences that back in the 90's, when genetic testing was in its infancy, she and her sisters knew they didn't have time to wait for testing to improve.

"We didn't want to wait. We were in our 30's we were right at that age. So we went ahead, my sisters and I had surgery first," explained Boesky.

Her book, 'What We Have', explores some of the deepest relationships women have.

"So it's that positive sense about what we have as it is about something else," said Boesky. "I felt more and more compelled to share what for us had been really an extraordinary experience."