Speaking of cancer heredity, one example is worth mentioning.
In 2013, Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie revealed that she underwent a double mastectomy to reduce her cancer risk. Her mother died at the age of 56 after battling breast cancer for more than a decade.
Jolie said: “I carry a ‘wrong’ gene – BRCA1, which gives me an 87% chance of developing breast cancer, 50% Ovarian cancer.”
If someone in the family has cancer, how likely are we to inherit it? How to detect and avoid it in advance?
Life Times (Search for “LT0385” on WeChat to follow) Uncover the truth about cancer heredity for you.
Experts Interviewed
Oncology, Southern Medical University National Second-level Professor of Science Luo Rongcheng Deputy Director of Cancer Prevention and Physical Examination Center of Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Zhang Kai
About 10% of cancers are related to heredity
In simple terms, cancer is a malignant tumor that grows rapidly and unrestrictedly due to abnormal cell function caused by mutations in one or more groups of genes. Cancer is essentially a genetic disease, so cancer does have the potential to be hereditary. But cancer is primarily a preventable acquired disease. Only 5% to 10% of all cancers have obvious genetic predisposition.
- If a family has an inherited cancer-causing mutation, multiple family members are often affected the same cancer. These types of cancers are called familial or hereditary cancers.
- The remaining 90% of cancers are caused by acquired mutations caused by factors such as aging, smoking, and radiation.
It should be reminded that there is uncertainty in the heredity of cancer, and not all family members have cancer. Because most cancers are the result of the interaction of genetic factors and psychological factors, dietary factors and living habits.
If one member of the family has cancer, there is no need to talk about cancer discoloration;Ifimmediate relativesgenus(i.e. parents, siblings, children, etc.)2~3 in People with the same cancer can be highly suspected of having a familial tendency to develop cancer.
Which cancers are easily passed on to the next generation?
At present, the etiology of many cancers is still unclear. Cancers with obvious genetic predisposition and screening methods include:
1
Breast Cancer
PublicThe lifetime risk of ovarian cancer in common women is about 1%, while BRCA1, BRCA2The risk of gene mutation carriers ranges from 23% to 54%. people with a family history of breast cancer, screening before age 40 is recommended , Ultrasound is the main method before menopause, and ultrasound plus mammography is the main method in postmenopausal women; the screening interval is 0.5 to 1 year.
2
Ovarian cancer
< p>About 20%~25% of epithelial ovarian cancers are related to genetic factors. A family history of breast, ovarian, and colorectal cancers may increase the risk of ovarian cancer in female members of the family.
BRCA mutation carriers are recommended to do regular pelvic examination, combined screening of blood CA125 (tumor marker) and transvaginal ultrasound from the age of 30 to 35.
3
Colorectal cancer
Familial colon polyps are prone to develop colorectal cancer. If parents have colorectal cancer caused by the above diseases, the probability of their children suffering from the same type of cancer is as high as 50%.
People with a family history of colorectal cancer are advised to start preventive screening at age 40 or even earlier.
The recommended method is colonoscopy or fecal occult blood test. It is best to do fecal occult blood test 1-2 times a year; at the same time, more attention is paid to healthy diet than ordinary people, and eat less High salt greasy food.
4
Stomach cancer
10% of all gastric cancer patients have obvious familial aggregation tendency. Relatives of gastric cancer patients have a 2-3 times higher risk of developing gastric cancer than others.
Over 40 years of age and immediate family members of gastric cancer patients should undergo gastroscopy screening as soon as possible and regularly.
5
lung cancer
Squamous lung cancer Among women with alveolar cell carcinoma, 35.8% had a family history; among women with alveolar cell carcinoma, 58.3% had a family history.
The first step in preventing lung cancer is smoking cessation and avoiding oil fume exposure, followed by early screening.
The real and effective early screening method is CT examination. The low-dose CT scan used for lung cancer screening has no effect on the patient’s health (pregnant women and children should follow the doctor’s advice and choose carefully when choosing CT).
6
Endometrial cancer
About 5% of all endometrial cancers are caused by hereditary factors, and these patients are older than sporadic The average age of endometrial cancer patients is 10 to 20 years younger.
Menopause and menopause are high incidence periods of endometrial cancer. Once symptoms such as irregular vaginal bleeding and bloody leucorrhea occur, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible.
7
pancreatic cancer
< span>The incidence of pancreatic cancer is 3-13 times higher in those with a family history than in those without a family history. One person in the family has the disease, and the risk of pancreatic cancer among other family members is 4 times that of the general population.
For those with family history, the examination of abdominal contrast-enhanced CT and tumor markers (especially CA199) is indispensable; Follow-up, if necessary, add endoscopic ultrasonography.
8
Prostate cancer
If An immediate family member with prostate cancer doubles the risk of prostate cancer himself. 45years old or older, with a previous family history of prostate cancer Menreceive regular screenings, such as digital rectal exams and PSA tests.
If I have a family history, how can I prevent cancer?
If someone in the family has cancer, in order to judge whether the risk of cancer is high, it depends on three aspects, namely “multiple, rare, and young”.
Multiple, refers to one close relative with multiple cancers, or multiple close relatives with cancer;
Multiple, refers to one close relative with multiple cancers, or multiple close relatives with cancer;
Multiple, refers to one close relative with multiple cancers, or multiple close relatives with cancer;
Multiple, refers to one close relative with multiple cancers, or multiple close relatives with cancer;
multiple cases; p>
Rare, refers to close relatives with very rare cancer, such as breast cancer in a male in the family;
Young, refers to the relatives who have cancer at a very young age, such as under the age of 30.
People with these conditions should check their genetic background and consider genetic mutation testing to detect risks early.
Focus on early Screening
Cancer is a chronic disease that generally takes 5 to 20 years from onset to advanced stage.
If you have a family history of the disease, you can consult a doctor about the genetic characteristics of family cancer, and have regular screening, preferably once or twice a year.
Reduce carcinogenic factors
cancer risk depends on carcinogenicity Due to the combined effects of genes, lifestyle, environmental factors, etc., a study in the authoritative medical journal “Nature” shows that 70% to 90% of cancers originate from the latter two.
People with a family history of cancer should pay attention to reducing exposure to chemical carcinogens and reducing the risk of cancer of susceptibility genes. Common chemical carcinogens are found in moldy food. Aspergillus flavus, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that may be contained in petroleum and smoked foods, nitrites in cured meats and pickles, etc.
Adhering to a healthy lifestyle
Adhering to a healthy lifestyle and enhancing immunity Strength also helps prevent cancer. Pay attention to a balanced diet, exercise regularly, maintain a reasonable weight, and change bad habits such as irregular work and rest, smoking and drinking. ▲Editor of this issue: Zheng Ronghua, etc., in the lower right cornerclickWatchingGo ahead