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Meet a Survivor: Allisa Mensin

The Rivkin Center fosters an ever-growing community of survivors, patients, researchers, clinicians, advocates, and supporters — all working together in the fight against ovarian and breast cancer.

Meet Allisa, an ovarian cancer survivor and SummeRun participant.

ABOUT ALLISA

  1. Where are you from? Born in Seattle and raised in Burien
  2. Where do you live now/what does a typical day look like for you? I now live in Auburn. My typical day is a typical 9-5 day, except I do four tens at a primary care clinic in Renton and off on Wednesdays! It’s super nice to work 2 days, have a quick break to run some errands and hang out with my dog and work another 2 days then the weekend!
  3. What do you do for fun? I love to do calligraphy! Mostly modern calligraphy with just a plain marker. I learned about 4 years ago for my cousin’s wedding and now have a small side business doing it for people, mostly brides!
  4. What is your favorite mantra? Eat well, travel often.
  5. What is your favorite drink? I love a good Moscow mule.
  6. What advice would you give to your younger self? Stop caring so much about what other people think and be your truest self. HAVE FUN.
  7. What are you most proud of? I am always proud of each calligraphy piece I do for people. I put my all into it and to see the outcome and the way it is used is amazing.
  8. Where has been your favorite place to travel? The most favorite place I have ever traveled to was to Italy with some of my closest friends on a school trip my sophomore year of high school. We got to see the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the food was absolutely AMAZING.
  9. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? My ethnicity! 99.9% of the time, people guess that I am Filipino. I am actually full Cambodian. It gets to the point where Filipinos would randomly speak Tagalog or Ilocano to me.
  10. Where do you go to find inspiration? Everywhere. I find it at work when I’m working with patients, on the internet browsing around, and the people all around me.
  11. Who inspires you? My family inspires me. My parents and all my aunts, uncles, and grandparents survived the Khmer Rouge. In my eyes, they are definitely the strongest people I know.

 

HOW ALLISA GOT INVOLVED 

  1. What inspired you to get involved with Rivkin? One night, I was on Instagram and saw that someone just completed a 5k supporting a cause and thought to myself, there HAS to be one for ovarian cancer. That is how I found the SummeRun! This was a couple of months into remission in 2015 and I have done the SummeRun every year since then.
  2. How can people help to support someone going through cancer? Just be there. The little things matter the most. No need for big gestures or huge gifts (We are too tired for all of that anyway, to be honest!). Just a little text/phone call checking in or a quick visit means the absolute world.
  3. What is the most important thing you want people to know about ovarian and breast cancer? Be aware. Know the signs and symptoms and if you know someone going through it, just be there for them. And it is okay to ask questions. For me anyway, I am 100% okay talking about what happened, how I found out, and everything about it.
  4. If you’ve participated in the SummeRun, what is your favorite memory? How many times have you run/walked? My favorite part of the SummeRun is the end when all of the survivors get on stage for a photo. It is so inspiring and beautiful seeing so many strong women who fought and are fighting. I have done the SummeRun every year since 2015 so this past run made it 5 years!

 

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED

Whether you’re a cancer patient, survivor, loved one, or supporter, there are many ways to get involved and help end ovarian cancer. Consider signing up for the SummeRun or attend our annual Family & Friends Auction.

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Higher Risk in the Ashkenazi Jewish Population

In the general population, around 1 in 400 people carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. People of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry have a 1 in 40 chance of carrying a BRCA mutation, making them 10 times as likely to carry a BRCA mutation as someone in the general population. Whether you’re a man or a woman, if you have a BRCA mutation then there is a 50% chance of passing the mutation on to your children, whether they are boys or girls. It’s important to note that these mutations significantly increase risk, but are not a guarantee a person will get cancer.

Why is the Ashkenazi Jewish population at higher risk?

Over 90% of the BRCA mutations found in the Jewish community are one of three “founder mutations”. A founder mutation is a specific gene mutation in a population that was founded by a small group of ancestors that were geographically or culturally isolated. Because the population was isolated, the rate of founder mutations in descendants is much higher than it would be if the population were larger and co-mingling with more genetically diverse populations. A large expansion in the population caused the current high frequency of the mutations in the Ashkenazi Jewish population. If you are of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, the chance of carrying a BRCA gene mutation compared to the general population is increased tenfold. BRCA mutations can be passed down from either your mother’s or father’s side, and may be associated with any of the following cancers:
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer, fallopian tube, peritoneal cancer
  • Male breast cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Colon Cancer

Ready to take action? Knowledge is power. Take this short quiz to be proactive about your health.

Genes 101

Our bodies are made of many tiny building blocks called cells. Our cells contain a copy of our genome – all of the DNA genetic code we inherited from our parents. Our genome is organized into 46 chromosomes, 23 inherited from mom and 23 from dad. Each chromosome has hundreds or thousands of genes. Each gene has the instructions to make a protein that may control the structure or function of cells, can determine many things including how tall we are or the color of our eyes. Genes also contain instructions for many things inside of us that we cannot see, such as how our bones are formed or how our heart works. Each gene is made up of molecules called nucleic acids (A, T, C, and G). The specific sequence of the nucleic acids holds the instructions that control all the components and their functions in cells.

If the DNA sequence is changed, like a spelling mistake, the instructions may not make sense. The technical term for this change is “mutation,” meaning there is a change to the usual genetic code that may change the instructions stored in the gene. A mutation in a gene that repairs DNA damage or controls cell growth can increase the risk of developing cancer.

Sporadic vs Hereditary Cancers:

Ovarian and breast cancer can be either sporadic or hereditary. Sporadic cancers make up the vast majority (85-90%) of ovarian and breast cancers and are not associated with family history of either cancer or inherited cancer-associated mutations. Sporadic cancers arise from genetic mutations acquired in some cells of the body by events part of normal metabolism and environmental factors. This type of cancer can happen to anyone. Most acquired gene mutations are not shared among relatives or passed on to children.

Hereditary (also known as inherited, or familial) cancers are those that occur due to genetic mutations that are inherited from mom or dad. Other blood relatives may also share these same gene mutations. Parents give one copy of each gene to their children. If a parent has a genetic mutation in a gene, each of their children have a 50% chance of inheriting that mutation. Therefore, even in families with hereditary cancer, not all family members inherit the mutation that is causing cancer, and their risk of cancer is similar to the average person in the general population. Individuals who are suspected to have a family history with high incidence of ovarian, breast, and other cancers may be offered genetic testing to try to find the specific genetic mutation that may put them at risk. Importantly, individuals who do not have a known genetic mutation but have high incidence of ovarian, breast, or other cancers in their families are still considered at higher risk for developing those cancers.

Hereditary cancers often occur at an earlier age than the sporadic form of the same cancer, so experts often recommend starting cancer screening at a younger age for individuals at high risk for hereditary cancer. Hereditary cancers can also be more aggressive than the sporadic form of the same cancer. Individuals who have inherited a gene mutation may be at a higher risk for more than one type of cancer.

BRCA 1 and BRCA 2: Most Common hereditary breast and ovarian cancer

The genes that are most commonly involved in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) are BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes are named for their link to breast (BR) cancer (CA), but they are also linked to ovarian cancer risk as well as other cancers. Both women and men can inherit mutations in these HBOC genes. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are tumor suppressor genes that have a usual role in our body of providing instructions on repairing DNA damage and preventing cancer. When a family has an inherited mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2, this leads to an increase in cancer risk. Not every man or woman who has inherited a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene will develop cancer, but people who have a mutation do have a significanlty increased chance of developing cancer, particularly cancer of the breasts or ovaries.

While breast and ovarian cancers are the most common cancers diagnosed in people with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, the risk of some other cancers is also increased. Men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations have a higher risk of early-onset prostate cancer than men without mutations in either gene. Other cancers seen at increased rates, particularly in individuals with BRCA2 mutations, include pancreatic cancer and melanoma. Researchers are continuing to find new genes that are involved in hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer so it is important to follow up with a genetic counselor on a regular basis if hereditary breast and ovarian cancer is likely in your family.

Talk to your family about your health history and take the Assess Your Risk quiz here

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