Breast Cancer

[lubecki161]

If someone in your family has breast cancer what are the chances that someone else will get it??

[sqad617]

Not an easy question to answer in an email lubecki161, but there is a very good website that should help you:

www.genome.gov/10000507

[sqad617]

Just looked on Chatterbank and it seems most people have found it easy to explain in an email.

[4getmenot]

apart from my link, because apparently if you have never been married you are more likely to get it ?????

[susiearrived]

It depends what sort of breast cancer it is. With some there is a definite genetic link, others not. Cancerbacup or cancer research sites both excellent.

[jake-the-peg]

There are 2 well known breast cancer related genes BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Mutations in these tend to give you a high probability of developing breast, ovarian or bowel cancer 85%

There is an increased incidence of this in people with Ashkenazi Jewish background.

But there is a certain risk without a genetic predisposition too.


You can be tested for this see here

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp? page=5689#who

There is particular interest if someone in your familly was very young and had it or had ovarian cancer or if it was a man that had it.