Does family history affect the risk of breast cancer?

Most of us have had relatives or friends concerned about their family history of breast cancerdefine. This is quite understandable given the fact that breast cancer is the third most fatal cancer ( “after lung cancer and colorectal cancer” – Dr Susan C Stewart M.D. Breast Cancer is also the commonest cancer in Women. But is the family history, really something to worry about… the Med Guru explores.

New research in mice and five independent collections of human breast tumors have enabled the National Cancerdefine Institute (NCI) scientists to confirm that genesdefine do contribute to susceptibility for breast cancer metastasis, which can be inherited. The new findings support earlier results from the same laboratory and appear in the January 1, 2009, issue of 'Cancer Research’. The research team that reported these findings is from the Center for Cancer Research at NCI, which is part of the National Institutes of Health.

The media frequently emphasizes on the fact that a woman has one in eight chance of developing breast cancerdefine during her lifetime, which is indeed an alarming figure. But as Dr Susan C Stewart M.D states, “The one in eight risk isn't as high as it seems. It's a lifetime risk, what we call cumulative risk, based on a woman living to the ripe old age of 110. A woman's risk at age 50, for example, is much lower, 1 in 50.”

How do genesdefine affect breast cancer risk?

Genes are nature’s blueprints for every living thing. Most genes come in pairs; one set from the mother and one from the father.

Scientists have identified two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BReast CAncer Gene 1 and BReast CAncer Gene 2), which are passed from generation to generation with mutations of breast cancer already in them. Women, who have inherited certain mutations in these genes, have a high risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and several other types during their lifetimes. Men with BRCA1 mutations also have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Earlier scientists believed that breast cancer vulnerability was inherited through the maternal relatives. This is not the case with the mutations of the BRCA genes in women. These mutated genes can be inherited from either parent.

What are the tests for inherited cancer risk?

Inherited cancer risk can be tested through genetic testing that looks for inherited genetic alterations that may increase the risk of breast cancer. The test requires a blood sample, which is then tested through a series of complicated procedures for altered genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. This test takes several weeks.

The price of the test varies from place to place and may not be covered in the insurance. Consulting a Doctor about alternatives would be a good course of action. There are also some limitations of the test; the answer received from the test can only be “yes” or “no”. It will not give the reason of alteration nor the extent.

However, the genetic testing will put to rest the ambiguity surrounding cancer risks. It also helps in making medication and lifestyle choices. Other family members will receive information regarding the genetic problem and help in coping with the situation at hand.