Assessing Your Risk
What is meant by a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer?
A family history of cancer can occur:
• Just by chance, because cancer is common
• Because family members are exposed to the same environmental factors
• Because a predisposition to cancer is running in the family, though this is rare
A family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer means having one or more close blood relatives who have, or have had, breast and/or ovarian cancer. These relatives could be on either the father’s or he mother’s side of the family. Close blood relatives (not relatives
by marriage) are:
• Parents, siblings or children (first-degree relatives – 10)
• Aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces or grandparents (seconddegree relatives – 20)
Many women have a few relatives who have or had breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer just because breast cancer is common in women, though ovarian cancer less so. Such women may be only slightly above the average risk. Some women have a ‘stronger’ family history where a number of their close blood relatives have or had breast and/or ovarian cancer. Most of these women may have a moderately increased chance of developing breast cancer. A few will have a potentially high chance of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer because a predisposition to breast and/or ovarian cancer is running in their family.
Family Health History -Starting your family health tree
If you are aware of your family health history, it may be possible to predict, prevent or treat health problems that have affected previous generations. Here is a link which is used by healthcare professionals to collect family pedigree data. This may come in handy if you wish to collect information on your families health history.
Why know my Risk Level?
It is such a personal decision and your healthcare professionals will advise you on the benefits on knowing your family history and risk level. Through my personal experience these are some of the benefits.
1) Ability to be proactive and do regular screening
2) Piece of Mind that you know your risk factors and can make a decison that can benefit your future health
3) It may instigate lifestyle choices that can be a positive on your overall health
4) You feel in control (at the begining it may seem daunting but once you get a wonderful team of healthcare professionals around you - it becomes much easier)
5) This information can benefit future generations in your family
Resources that can help you navigate risk assessment
Risk Factors
Statistics and Information
Question kits for Genetic Testing
Tips for collecting data for your family health tree
About genetic testing
Pink Hope DOES not provide medical advice. Please read our disclaimer.
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