What are the odds of my children developing cancer?!
Question: What are the odds of my children developing cancer.?
I ask this because I am very worried and I plan on getting my kids testede to see if they carry the cancer gene..My maternal grandmother died of ovarian cancer 5yrs ago this Jan. My cousin on my mom's side had throat cancer and he has never smoked or chewed tabacco and now his sister's 5yr old daughter has lukemia...and my grandmother also told me that her sisters in Cuba had cancer....so now I am super worried...I plan on getting tested to see if I am a match for my cousin's daughter but I also have a 4yr old and a 2yr old and as much as I hate that my niece is sick....I would die if it were my child...what do you think the chances are.?Health Question & Answer
Answers:
I understand why you're worried, but from what you've told us it doesn't appear that you or your children are at increased risk of cancer.
There isn't a general 'cancer gene'. Hereditary cancer is rare - fewer than 10% of all cancer cases are hereditary.
A sign that cancer MAY be hereditary within a family is when several members of the same side of the family have had the SAME type of cancer, especially if some developed it at a younger than usual age.
Several family members having different types of cancer is NOT a sign of hereditary cancer. You don't inherit a general tendency to get cancer.
You don't say how old your adult relatives were at diagnosis, but cancer that is diagnosed after the age of 50 is less likely to be hereditary.
With at least one in three people developing cancer at some time in their lives, it isn't unusual for a number of members of the same family to have non-hereditary cancer. This is the case in my family; both my parents, two of my grandparents, my aunt, my uncle and my young cousin all had cancer, and all but one died of it. All had different cancers and all their cancers were non-hereditary - no members of my immediate or extended family have ever been considered at increased risk of them.
Of my parents six children, now aged between 47 and 60, only I have developed cancer and mine too was non-hereditary and unconnected to theirs.Health Question & Answer
There isn't a general 'cancer gene'. Hereditary cancer is rare - fewer than 10% of all cancer cases are hereditary.
A sign that cancer MAY be hereditary within a family is when several members of the same side of the family have had the SAME type of cancer, especially if some developed it at a younger than usual age.
Several family members having different types of cancer is NOT a sign of hereditary cancer. You don't inherit a general tendency to get cancer.
You don't say how old your adult relatives were at diagnosis, but cancer that is diagnosed after the age of 50 is less likely to be hereditary.
With at least one in three people developing cancer at some time in their lives, it isn't unusual for a number of members of the same family to have non-hereditary cancer. This is the case in my family; both my parents, two of my grandparents, my aunt, my uncle and my young cousin all had cancer, and all but one died of it. All had different cancers and all their cancers were non-hereditary - no members of my immediate or extended family have ever been considered at increased risk of them.
Of my parents six children, now aged between 47 and 60, only I have developed cancer and mine too was non-hereditary and unconnected to theirs.Health Question & Answer
I would get whatever diagnostic/genetic testing done that U can; I lost a good friend 2 lung cancer in the mid 90z.
I wish U all the best(and your family)!
Timothy
:o)Health Question & Answer
I wish U all the best(and your family)!
Timothy
:o)Health Question & Answer
Women's brains are 1/3 the size of men. It's science. Therefore, your children will get lung cancer at age 6. Sorry.Health Question & Answer