familial malignancy

familial malignancy

The development of a malignancy in 2+ or more blood-related members of a cohort–eg, hepatocellular carcinoma. See Family cancer syndrome.

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Patient discussion about familial malignancy.

Q. Not alone? I don’t feel so I have a cancer of the ovaries, and had operation, and chemo (which was not too bad). My family is very helpful and does everything they can to help me, but I feel alone. I always have this feeling in the back of my mind that the disease can return every day. It makes me feel that even if I currently feel good, I can’t enjoy anything because soon it’ll be over. It’s like these feelings raise some kind of wall between me and all those great people around me, and I pretend to be OK. Does someone else share these feelings?

A. I have worked with many ovarian cancer patients and have seen how difficult it was for them to cope with the disease, the continuous fear of the unkown and losing their ability to go back to normal living. You should look for online groups of women that have gone through the same process as you and contact them. That can be very helpful for you. There's also an organization called "women to women" that I know help with encouraging women to be strong and think positive.

Q. Can cancer skip every other generation in your family? Can cancer be so hereditary as to skip every other generation in a family? On my dad's side of the family it seems like it does. Both my great grandmothers on my father's side had cancer (breast cancer and another type) and a great grandfather had cancer as well. My grandparents did not have cancer. My father ended up having cancer out of the three of my grandparents’ children. Me nor any of my cousins have had cancer. Is it possible any of our children will?

A. If there is a BRCA mutation, it does not skip generations. A child of a person with a BRCA mutation has a 50/50 chance of having the mutation. Those who have the mutation can pass it on. Those who do not have the mutation cannot pass it on.

Q. ) Hello everyone…..breast cancer is genetic to my family as my mom had one surgery. Hello everyone…..breast cancer is genetic to my family as my mom had one surgery. I know I am also on the risk but I am having migraine and I have been told that this reduces the impact of breast cancer….how come? Any clues?

A. Yes it is indeed found through some study that a migraine reduces the chances of breast cancer. The reason given was that as high levels of estrogen are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and women who suffer migraines appear to have low levels of the hormone, which may account for the reduction in breast cancer risk.