By: Susan Branton, M.D.
UPMC Magee-Womens Breast Health Center

Genetic testing to discover ancestry is common practice and sometimes discovering your family history can reveal unexpected connections, new storylines, and a world of new relatives. But, there’s another benefit for some specific types of genetic testing. The genes you inherit can help doctors determine your cancer risk, including your risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

Everyone has a unique genetic code that is a combination of genes from their parents. Mutations or changes in certain genes can increase the likelihood that certain cells could become cancerous. Pancreas, thyroid, colon, bone, breast, ovarian, soft tissue, and melanoma are cancers that possibly can be linked with genetic mutations. Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are specifically linked to breast and ovarian cancer. People with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry have a higher incidence of having the BRCA gene mutation. African American women who have a higher rate of estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer also have higher rates of the BRCA1, BRCA2, and another gene called PALB2 that is linked to breast cancer.

So where do you start? At age 18, women should begin talking to their family doctors about their breast and ovarian cancer risks. Important factors that could impact your risk include your age at menses, age at first childbirth, weight, lifestyle, and genetic or family history.

Anastasia Penick, a third-year culinary student, is our featured student of the week. She actively engages in various extracurricular activities, including participating in Skills USA’s Front of House competition, being a part of the SHCTC Student Committee, and contributing to theater at PAHS. Additionally, she has dedicated four years to a part-time position at Fox’s Pizza in Port Allegany. Anastasia holds a ServSafe certification and is considering a future in the dietary field of nutrition.

BRADFORD, Pa. – National Fuel and Seneca Resources have endowed a new scholarship to benefit energy and engineering students at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

            The National Fuel Gas Company Foundation made a gift of $25,000 to create the National Fuel and Seneca Resources Scholarship in honor of the natural gas utility and its exploration and production company, Seneca Resources.

            Students studying petroleum technology or engineering at Pitt-Bradford will be given first preference for the scholarships. Second preference will be given to students majoring in other energy-related disciplines or children of current employees who are attending Pitt-Bradford.

With a 10-1-7 overall season entering the playoffs, this year’s Pennsylvania College of Technology women’s soccer team already has established itself as one of the program’s best ever, and as the third seed in the United East Volt Division, the Wildcats will host sixth-seeded Penn State Abington at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Penn State Berks, with a win over Penn State Harrisburg on Tuesday, nailed down the Volt Division’s top seed while Harrisburg is seeded second. Lancaster Bible College earned the third seed and St. Mary’s (Md.) College is seeded fourth. Berks and Harrisburg drew first-round byes and will host semifinal games next Tuesday.

Last season, the Wildcats reached the conference’s Final Four before losing to Penn State Harrisburg, 3-2.

In conference matches this season, Penn College is 2-1-2 against other playoff teams with 0-0 ties against Berks and St. Mary’s, a 1-0 loss to Harrisburg, a 3-1 win over Lancaster Bible and a 6-2 win over Abington. The Wildcats have outscored their UE opponents 9-4.

“This season has been one of incredible excitement for our team and program as a whole,” second-year coach Ian Scheller said. “To end any regular season with just one loss is a great achievement because being a team that can consistently compete on any given day might be the most important thing for any program.