Inherited Cancer

An interesting study was done at the epidemiology department of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden where more than 2 million families and their more than 5 million offspring were surveyed for the presence of cancer. This study was done to get an idea regarding the potential genetic transmission of different cancer types (Ref. 15). Here are the findings: no inherited risk was found for squamous cell skin cancer and myeloma.

An increased risk of two-fold or more (sibling to offspring ratio) was found for the following cancers: stomach, kidney and bladder cancer, hormone gland cancers, colon, testicular, prostate cancer and leukemia.

Breast cancer had a very high inheritance with a frequency of 10-fold or more when one parent and one sibling were affected. A surprise finding of the study was that there are cancer connections between rectum/skin, breast/hormone glands and lung/hormone glands. These studies, which are based on a large data base will help cancer researchers throughout the world to pinpoint the cancer genes and hopefully help to develop possible cancer vaccines for susceptible individuals.

Right now this is only a theoretical possibility. However, there are indications that in the near future cancer vaccines will be part of the regular treatment possibilities for the cancer specialist.

Disclaimer

This outline is only a teaching aid to patients and should stimulate you to ask the right questions when seeing your doctor. However, the responsibility of treatment stays in the hands of your doctor and you.

References

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13. Cancer: Principles &Practice of Oncology.4th edition. Edited by Vincent T. DeVita, Jr. et al. Lippincott, Philadelphia,PA, 1993. Chapter 70:"Unsound methods of cancer treatment", page 2734 -2747.

14. Cancer: Principles&Practice of Oncology. 5th edition, volume 1. Edited by Vincent T. DeVita, Jr. et al. Lippincott-Raven Publ., Philadelphia,PA, 1997. The data from the tables on p. 236-237 were condensed and the figures rounded off to the nearest full number.

15. C Dong et al. Int J Cancer 2001 Apr 1;92(1):144-150.

Last Modified: Jan. 2, 2009