Knowing your family’s medical history is a powerful resource for managing your own health, but when you have a family history of cancer, it can feel like a daunting piece of information.
Even though only 5-10% of people who develop cancer can trace their illness to an inherited faulty gene, it’s beneficial to understand your unique risk factors so you can work with a team of care professionals who will help you plan for the future and get on a path toward prevention.
Important family conversations
Your first step might be reaching out to family to learn about known diagnoses. Take careful note of cancer that was diagnosed at a young age, multiple types of cancer in one person, rare forms of cancer or a family history of similar cancers. Breast, gastrointestinal, gynecological, endocrine and melanoma cancers most commonly have a genetic link. For people with this type of family history of cancer, sharing up-to-date information with your provider can be incredibly helpful for conversations around prevention and to ensure an early diagnosis of cancer if it happens.
There are certain genetic alterations or mutations that indicate a higher risk of developing different types of cancer, heart disease or additional conditions. Some of those conditions are passed through family lines and others are not. Even for people who do possess genetic alterations, there is no guarantee that they will develop cancer; it simply means that the person is at a higher risk of developing cancer than the general population.
Nicole Cullum, a certified genetic counselor at Baylor Scott & White Health, says that many people erroneously believe that cancer genes can skip a generation or that men can’t carry (or pass on) gene mutations for breast cancer. Neither of those things are true.
“It doesn’t skip generations,” Cullum says, adding that it can seem to skip generations simply because not everyone with a genetic mutation will get cancer. “They are passed on throughout every generation and men can pass on breast cancer gene mutations, too.”
If your family has a history of cancer diagnoses, it’s important to assess your risk at an individual level and look at it more closely with your medical provider.
Your personalized path to prevention
Determining whether or not you have a higher genetic risk of certain cancers can help you and your doctor develop a plan for monitoring and screening for those and other types of cancers. That way, if cancer does appear it can be diagnosed early, when it is most treatable. Cancer treatment can be as much as three times more successful if there is an early diagnosis, so don’t hesitate to take action if something feels off.
Whether you just found out about a family history of cancer or you’ve known for many years and want to start taking control of your health, speak first with your primary care provider. Ask them which preventative screenings are available to you and whether you can start them earlier than the usual recommendation because of your family history. They will be able to determine when you need to begin preventative screenings and whether a genetic counseling session is a good next step for you.
At Baylor Scott & White Health, trained genetic counselors and physicians who specialize in medical genetics can assess whether you have a higher risk of developing cancer (and other conditions, like heart disease). While genetic testing is not recommended for everyone, it may be a helpful step for people who have a strong family history of certain types of cancer or other factors that suggest a possible inherited gene mutation.
Based on your individual risk factors, your doctor may refer you to a trained genetic counselor. During a genetic counseling appointment, they’ll discuss your health concerns and make detailed notes on your family history. This will include constructing and analyzing a medical family tree and calculating a risk assessment. A sample may be taken for genetic testing.
If you test positive for a genetic mutation, they’ll discuss what it means for you and your family and share additional resources or directions for next steps as recommended by the National Cancer Network. These standardized requirements will help you learn about prevention and research opportunities, as well as when and how frequently screening is recommended for you.
Your primary care provider will refer you to specialists, if needed, and help you stay up-to-date with preventative screenings on a schedule that’s right for you. If you have already had genetic testing and found that you are at a higher risk of cancer, make sure that your screenings are current and work with your doctor to identify additional ways you can lower your risk, such as preventative screenings and lifestyle modifications. Together, you and your provider can take steps to protect your health so you can have peace of mind about the future.
Knowledge is power
Navigating a family history of cancer can be challenging, but you’re not alone. Partner with your health care team to take the first steps toward prevention so that you can feel more confident in how you manage your health. Don’t delay these important conversations. Knowledge is power and knowing your risks can empower you to take control of your health.
“We want to make sure people are empowered with this information and that they understand it and they’re in control as much as possible,” Cullum says, adding that genetic mutations are present from birth whether or not you’re aware of it, and will always remain. But when you’re informed of any potential genetic risk factors, you can talk to your doctor so that certain additional screenings or bloodwork are implemented into your annual checkups that you may not have considered before.
Understanding your cancer risk factors gives you the tools to be proactive about your health. Talk to your primary care physician about how you can take control of your cancer risk or find a primary care physician near you.