Are you more likely to get cancer if one of your parents had it?

[Leeeee]

A friends mother and grand mother had it and she is worried she might get it. Thank you.

[MISS B.ITCH]

Unfortunately it adds to the risks as do a lot of illnesses.

I've seen it a few imes where woman have had hysterectomies & breasts removed as they believe prevention is better than cure.

I don't think it is wise to live your life believing that you are going to get an illness, bit is wise to keep checking for the warning signs. We should all do that regardless of family history.

[shontai]

Cancer is caused by many factors that add up. With genetics when you've had someone in your immediate family like your mother have cancer, the odds of you getting it are higher. If she's worried that she's going to get it then she needs to take precautions. Like with breast cancer, she needs to give herself daily exams and so on. She needs to know the symptoms, that way if she does ever get it then she can catch it in the beginning. I would have to stay that when a person has that kind of family histor they need to stay healthy. One of the best ways to try to stay healthy is daily exercise, and trying to eat a balanced healthy diet. Also, I would have to say watch out for stress. Stress, is a big one that is not good for your body. I know with a mother and a grandmother having cancer it's hard not to think and worry about it for you too. But, you need to just be healthy.

[lo_mcg]

Not necessarily. Most cancers are random and not inherited; nobody knows what causes them. Only a small percentage of cancer cases are due to hereditary factors.

You don't say what type of cancer your friend’s relatives had; you can inherit a tendency to get SOME particular cancers (not all), but you won't definitely get that cancer. Some cancers are not hereditary at all – bone cancer is one.

Scientists have identified some high risk faulty genes but these are rare in the general population. One example of a high risk gene is BRCA1. Women who carry a faulty BRCA1 gene have an 80% chance of getting breast cancer at some point in their lives - but this still means that one in five of women with the gene will not get breast cancer. (Only 5 – 10 % of breast cancer cases are caused by hereditary factors)

Doctors who specialise in this area think that the younger you are when a cancer occurs, the more likely it is that an inherited genetic tendency has played a part.

It's best for your friend not to worry about it. Both my parents had cancer and my mother died of it. Their six children are now all in their 40s and 50s and only one (me) has had cancer, and my cancer was non-hereditary and unconnected to theirs - just random, like most cancers.

[a.martin197546]

i think with some cancers you can get them if members of you family have had them it puts you at a higher risk

[fuzzymum]

yes u are apparently more likely if its in the family. However it doesn't mean that she will definitely get it. The best thing ur friend can do is tell her doctor her concerns and they will keep an eye on her. Also she should eat and drink more vitamins...especially Vit C and Vit E ...basically antioxidants. She should up her intake of antioxidants and fresh fruit and veg...and that apparently helps prevent cancer.