Monday, September 20, 2010

What is the risk of breast cancer if you have an aunt/cousin who has it

What is the risk of breast cancer if you have an aunt/cousin who has it?
My aunt (2nd cousin of my mother) has stage II breast cancer and she's in her late 70s. What is our risk of getting the same disease?
Cancer - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
genetic factors account for about 40% of breast cancers in terms of families having some genes - its not always the case but it has been shown that u have a higher chance in terms of a close relative or relatives that have had breast cancer.
2 :
Only 5 - 10% of breast cancer cases are due to hereditary factors. Most breast cancer cases are random; my oncologist was able to assure me that mine wasn't hereditary and that my female relatives are not at increased risk. As it is not a close relative who has breast cancer, and as she is in her seventies - the younger you are when a cancer occurs, the more likely it is that an inherited genetic tendency has played a part - it is unlikely that you or your mother are at increased risk.
3 :
Unfortunately, one of the greatest risk factors of breast cancer is age. The older you are the more likely you are to get it. Unless your aunt has genetic testing to confirm, (and the questionaire for the testing doesn't even go into that extended family) or if there had been a lot of breast, cervical and even prostate cancer (they're all linked to the same genes) chances are you are not predispositioned to breast cancer. But, like any other woman, you need to do breast self-exams and have your screening mammos when you reach that age. I wish you and your family health.

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