Only 5% to 10% of all malignancies can be traced back to a genetic mutation passed down from parents. The majority of cancers are sporadic and are caused by human risk factors such as aging, hormones, environment, lifestyle, and even your immune system.
When you gaze in the mirror, you may notice that your family is looking back at you. It can be a source of pride—chins, noses, earlobes, and even the way your siblings, sisters, aunts, and uncles interact and laugh all appear to pass down through the generations in some families.
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In many cases, people inherit the disease of their forefathers also. It is a natural process, and there is no specific set of rules as it varies from case to case.
In many cases, it is seen that the next generation gets health issues that were not even reported to their immediate parents.
It may be in the forefathers before a few generations, and the same is decoded in the new generation, which is a big mystery for medical science also. However, there is no surprise if one can get a health issue from a mother or father as many such diseases are commonly found among people.
However, no one likes to think about the potential of inheriting the risk of breast or other malignancies from their family. “We all have the same genes, as we all know. We begin to develop mutations in our genes as time passes “Donna Lamp, a clinical genomics nurse with Penn State Health St. Joseph Cancer Center, is the coordinator of the Cancer Risk Evaluation Program.” Typically, this is what causes cancer to develop.
It’s as if a perfect storm of risk factors has collided, putting people at danger of developing cancer.” In hereditary cancer, on the other hand, a person is most often born with a copy of a gene that isn’t acting properly.
Lamp explained, “It can’t deliver messages to the cells as it should.” “If you inherit a gene mutation, you may be at a higher risk of developing cancer than someone who was born with two healthy gene copies.” An assessment that considers both personal risk factors and a family history of cancer is one way to evaluate one’s odds of developing cancer.
The Cancer Risk Evaluation Program at Penn State Health St. Joseph Cancer Center, for example, involves evaluation, genetic education, and, if necessary, genetic testing to help produce a realistic assessment of an individual’s cancer risk.
When it comes to hereditary breast cancer, the evaluation looks for certain red flags, such as having first-degree or close relatives who have had breast cancer, a pattern of cancers linked to hereditary cancer genes linked to breast cancer, developing the disease before the age of 50, or having bilateral breast cancer (tumors in both breasts simultaneously).
The personal or professional background of ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, or male breast cancer is highly suggestive of hereditary breast cancer and can even indicate genetic involvement in some situations.
Those found to be at high risk are given tailored screenings and surveillance regimens, as well as ongoing care, in order to lower their chances of developing cancer or identifying it at an early stage. All care is administered in a team manner at St. Joseph, led by Dr. Marc Rovito, medical director for the Cancer Risk Evaluation Program.
This includes biannual clinical breast exams, self-breast awareness education, and necessary testing. According to Lamp, knowing your risk status can save your life.
“The beauty of understanding your risk is that we can manage it, assure early detection, and, in certain cases, even prevent and reduce risk,” she explained.
