Breast Cancer Hereditary Factors
Is breast cancer hereditary?
My biological sister was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer a year ago. She is 50 and responding well to chemotherapy. However, I asked his oncologist what age should I start to be reviewed and said that my risk factors are not major, just because my sister has breast cancer. Is this true? My sister and aunt to my mother side, both had breast cancer and it is my understanding that it is hereditary.
Less than 10% of breast cancers are hereditary. Usually you are considered to be at risk if 2 or more relatives of 1st graders have been diagnosed. Your sister is a first degree relative, his aunt is a second-degree relative. Both are 1st degree relatives of your mother, for what is considered a higher risk than average. You do not are. Given that his sister is 50, is less likely that yours is genetic. Genetic testing is only valuable if you change something in what he does. As a woman, you is a risk of 1 in 8, so you should be getting the regular breast checks when you have your annual Pap test and do your monthly self. Even if you've one or both of the genes that predispose to breast cancer, the risk oncreases to 1 in 4 or 1 in 2. It gives a 100% risk. I a maternal grandfather (2nd), mother (1st grade) and sister (1st grade) diagnosed. Test says I am genetically predisposed, as are all my brothers. My breast cancer was atypical and not genetically related. 4 of 6 brothers have had a form of cancer, however, despite our genetic predisposition to only 1 has had cancer of genetic origin. Be alert, but not paranoid.
