Are other cancers in family members a sign of predilection towards cancer

Antiques55

Like most everyone, I've been doing a lot of research while waiting for my biopsy results. One of the things I've been doing (that honestly I should have done a long time ago), is getting some family history. There's no history of breast cancer in my family. However, both my mother and aunt had colon cancer and my brother had prostate cancer. Is evidence of any kind of cancer a sign that you have a predilection and greater chance of having cancer? I've tried to google it but am not hitting on the answers. Thanks!

roseann4

Yes but not necessarily.
It really depends on what type of cancer. I read that with bc it is an issue if you have the gene mutation. Otherwise they aren't sure there is a link. All probabilities increase with age and lifestyle can be a cause. Lots they still don't know. I still think it is good to know family history. Wish I could be more helpful.

Waiting is the worst.

Roseann

Antiques55

roseann4 said:

Yes but not necessarily.
It really depends on what type of cancer. I read that with bc it is an issue if you have the gene mutation. Otherwise they aren't sure there is a link. All probabilities increase with age and lifestyle can be a cause. Lots they still don't know. I still think it is good to know family history. Wish I could be more helpful.

Waiting is the worst.

Roseann

Thanks Roseann. Yes, waiting
Thanks Roseann. Yes, waiting sucks. I don't usually have the ringer on my cell phone on in the office but today I do. Tiny chance I'll hear today and I am NOT missing that call.

Rague

No family history of cancer
In my case, there is no history of any cancer for at least 4 generations until me. Though my family is 'smallish' as both Mom and Daddy were 'only' children and both Grand Dads were also 'only' child both Grand Moms had several sisters and brothers. I have been interested in geneology since a small child so I have good records.

My Chemo Dr told me that probably my IBC is a culmination of all I've been exposed to in life. I had radiation to tonsil area when about 18 mths (tonsil were 'rotten' and taken out and radiation was used to keep them from growing back - wrong they grew back and I still have them at 65. [This was fairly common practice from the 1930's to in the 1960's]), I lived not too far from above ground nuclear tests in the early 1950's, I grew up on USAF bases, I was a hairdresser for many yrs, I've done upholstery and screen printing, I lived on or near Navy air bases for 19 1/2 yrs and for the last 8 yrs have lived under the flight path of an USAF base - so I've been around potential carcingins (sp?) for basically all my life. Oh well - it's life and I have enjoyed the diversity of it.

Winyan - The Power Within

Susan

Lynn Smith

Rague said:

No family history of cancer
In my case, there is no history of any cancer for at least 4 generations until me. Though my family is 'smallish' as both Mom and Daddy were 'only' children and both Grand Dads were also 'only' child both Grand Moms had several sisters and brothers. I have been interested in geneology since a small child so I have good records.

My Chemo Dr told me that probably my IBC is a culmination of all I've been exposed to in life. I had radiation to tonsil area when about 18 mths (tonsil were 'rotten' and taken out and radiation was used to keep them from growing back - wrong they grew back and I still have them at 65. [This was fairly common practice from the 1930's to in the 1960's]), I lived not too far from above ground nuclear tests in the early 1950's, I grew up on USAF bases, I was a hairdresser for many yrs, I've done upholstery and screen printing, I lived on or near Navy air bases for 19 1/2 yrs and for the last 8 yrs have lived under the flight path of an USAF base - so I've been around potential carcingins (sp?) for basically all my life. Oh well - it's life and I have enjoyed the diversity of it.

Winyan - The Power Within

Susan

BC is in my family
Breast cancer is in my family and I can attest to that with my mom at age 21 and my niece at 30.Then I was dx at 62. Only one distant family member died at a young age from Colon cancer.I had colon problems for years and had surgery.Still that was a long time ago.Father side of the family was diabetes, heart disease and strokes.Mom side was breast cancer, diabetes and alzheimers.

There were 3 girls in our family.I was first born after my mom's dx 6-7 years before.I was the one with benign tumors starting at age 20.Just like my mom.My sisters never had any breast tumors.One was a year younger than me and the other 3 years younger.First born I got the blunt of this BEAST.

All cancers IMO aren't as prevalant to me as breast cancer. It is the one that seems to be hereditary more than other cancers.See it much more with more than one family member being dx than the other types.On this Board you see it alot. Sister dx and just a year or 2 later the other sister or mom has it.I just read about identical twins.The one twin said her sister saved her.She wasn't going to get a mammo but when her sister's mammo came back bad she did.She also had breast cancer.This was within a year of each other.They both were only 30.I feel mammos should be given at a early age.Many on this Board have been dx in their 30's and 40's.

Lynn Smith

laughs_a_lot

If ...........
You have triple negative breast cancer, (you will find this out after biopsy results come in), there is a smaller group within this type of breast cancer that have a gene mutation. So if you hear the words triple negative breast cancer you will need to know how many men and women in your family have had breast cancer. Yes men can get breast cancer too. Along with the the breast cancer those with the gene mutation seem to have a lot of prostrate cancer in men and ovarian cancer in women. Other cancers that would be connected to breast cancer I would not know about. I have tripple negative bc but the insurance company refused to pay for the test because I did not have lots of other breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostrate cancer in my closest kin. I did have a grandmother and a cousin from my father's side but the insurance company would not test for the gene.

If you get the tripple negative bc diagnosis and want to get the genetic test, be sure to start your research early for the genetic counsellor. It may take up to two weeks of calls as people are out of town and do not get back to you right away. They will ask you to get some other information as well such as age at diagnosis and age of death if they are not still living. Some relatives may not remember some of the facts too well. I did find however those with cancer tend to know which other relatives have had cancer.

LoveBabyJesus

Hmmm....
I have cancer in my family, but I am the first youngster to get it so early (at 32), bc. I think if cancer is in your family, the risk is higher. There are so many mutations scientists haven't been able to identify yet. Only two, from what I know. I have read -- and it has scared the big Jesus our of me -- that there are thousands of mutations, so imagine that! There are also people who have gotten cancer who never had the history. I believe with bc -- and sisters can correct me -- most of the diagnosis have no family history. So. This is a very complicated illness (and so old!!!!). They are still trying to figure out factors. It would be nice to know so that we can prevent it. Better yet, if they can find a cure.

CypressCynthia

Cancer can run in some
Cancer can run in some families, but my breast surgeon said most do not have a history of breast cancer.

Of course, just to be different, my family has a horrible history. Two sisters and myself have had breast cancer, my brother had thyroid cancer, my dad and both of his brothers had colon cancer (he had no sisters), my dad's mom and all of her 4 sisters had breast and/or colon cancer. Sucks for us, doesn't it?