Why Is
Family History
Important?
What Types of
Family History
Are Important?
Are You At
Risk Based on
Family History?
Where to Go
for Help:
- Additional Reading
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- Slide Presentation
Additional
Information
for Health
Care Providers
Massachussetts
General Hospital
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Cancer Services
Breast cancer is the most common cancer occurring in women in this country, and can also occur in men.
Most times we do not know why it occurs, and we cannot predict who it will strike. However, we now know that there
are at least 2 major genes that can be passed from parent to child that, if altered, can cause
breast cancer.
The most important clue in determining who might carry a gene alteration is a family history of
breast cancer or ovarian cancer. But not all family history is the same, and most individuals with a
family history are not at high risk.
Characteristics of Hereditary Cancer Families
Which people are at a high risk of having a hereditary type of cancer? Hereditary cancer families
normally have some or all of these characteristics.
Many individuals have breast or ovarian cancer:
The more people in the family who have breast cancer or ovarian cancer,
the more likely it is to be a hereditary type of cancer.
Cancer occurs at a young age: Hereditary cancers tend to occur at a young age. The
younger a patient is when he/she develops breast cancer or ovarian cancer, the more likely it is that
it is a hereditary type of cancer.
Multiple cancers occur in a single individual: Multiple cancers in a single individual
increases the likelihood of it being a hereditary cancer. Individuals who have cancer in both breasts, or
breast cancer plus ovarian cancer, are more likely to have a hereditary type of cancer.
Cancers in several generations: The pattern of the cancers in the family is helpful in
determining that this indeed is caused by one of the major breast cancer genes.
While it would be easier to identify woman at risk if all families had all of these
characteristics, most families have only some of the characteristics mentioned. If any of these
characteristics are present in a family, we must at least consider the chance that this is a
hereditary cancer family.
What does family history mean?
If your mother had breast cancer, will you?
If you have had breast cancer, will your daughter?
We are just beginning to be able to answer these questions.
Many individuals have breast or ovarian cancer
Cancer occurs at a young age (in the 20's, 30's or 40's)
Multiple cancers in a single person
A man in the family has breast cancer
Cancer occurs in several generations