A study on 23,000 people in Italy and Switzerland has discovered that having cancer in a family increases the chances of developing not only the same cancer but other types as well. In the study it was found that for each of 13 cancers, close relatives had an increased risk of the same disease.
There was strong evidence that a
family history of one cancer could significantly raise the risk of other cancer
types. The research, published in the
journal Annals of Oncology, monitored 12,000 patients
with cancer at different sites in the body. These were compared with 11,000
cancer free people. Information was collected on family history of cancer,
notably first degree relatives namely; siblings, parents and children.
Cancer risks are said to depend on
genetic makeup, lifestyle and environment.
Having
cancer in the family can tremendously increase your chances of developing not
only the same cancer but other types too, research findings suggested.
It was discovered that people with a
first-degree relative with cancer of the larynx had triple the normal risk of developing oral and pharyngeal cancer while
those closely related to someone with oral-pharyngeal cancer had a four time increased
chance of oesophageal cancer. Breast cancer doubled the risk of ovarian cancer
for female family members.
Men had a 3.4 times increased risk
of prostate cancer if a first-degree relative had bladder cancer. Some known
cancer risks were confirmed in the due course. They included; a raised risk of
women developing breast cancer if they have a family history of bowel cancer.
Principal investigator, Eva Negri
(PhD) of the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research in Milan, Italy
said "If you have a relative with
one type of cancer your risk of the same type of cancer is increased.
"What this study has
highlighted is that sometimes if you have a relative with one cancer your risk
of another cancer can be increased.
"The relative risk of a
different cancer generally tends to be lower than for the same cancer" added
Dr Eva.
She also said that in some cases,
the links between different cancers may be due to shared lifestyle factors,
such as family smoking and drinking habits.
The study also bolstered evidence of
genetic factors affecting multiple cancer sites in the body. Eluned Hughes,
from the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said some breast cancers do run in
the family, however most cases are not hereditary. "In order to fully
understand the causes of breast cancer, we need to study more women over a
longer period of time," she said.
According to Jessica Harris, Cancer
Research UK's senior health information manager, cancer risk is determined by a
combination of genes inherited from parents, lifestyles, and our environment.
"Whether or not someone in your
family has had cancer, living a healthy life can really help to stack the odds
in our favour, and reduce the risk of cancer," she said.
"The main things you can do are
to be a non-smoker, cut down on alcohol, and stay in shape by being active and
eating a balanced diet."
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