We tend to shy away from often uncomfortable conversations about our family’s medical history, but Dr Friedel Kerchoff, Medical Adviser at Sanlam, says the value of knowing you have a family history of cancer and preparing yourself and your loved ones for the possibility should not be underestimated.
Given how much of a financial burden cancer can be, he notes that people are all too often caught unaware. Knowing your family’s health history can be extremely beneficial because relatives share genes, lifestyle habits and environments that may affect someone’s risk of developing cancer.
Accurately reporting family history could be key to reducing your risk and ensuring that you have the necessary cover in place. While most gene changes happen during someone’s lifetime as a result of lifestyle habits, infections and environmental or chemical exposure, some gene changes are passed on from parents to their children.
How cancer can run in your family
Dr Kerchhoff explains:
Lifestyle habits
This occurs when family members share similar lifestyle habits or exposure that increase their cancer risk.
For example, a family with multiple members who smoke heavily would have an increased risk of developing lung cancer compared to a family of non-smokers, or where very few members smoke. Cancer that can develop in this instance is called sporadic cancer, which is cancer due to genetic changes acquired after birth.
Gene mutations
This occurs when abnormal genes (mutations) that can lead to cancer are passed down from one generation to the next. This is called inherited or hereditary cancer syndrome.
How to find out about your family’s health history
Ask the right questions
Have a conversation with your family about their health history, and find out the following from your first- and second-degree relatives:
- Whether they’ve had cancer. If so, the type of cancer, and their age at diagnosis.
- Lineage, in other words, are they on your mother’s side (maternal) or on your father’s side (paternal)?
- Ethnicity (people of certain ethnicities, for example, those with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, are at greater risk for certain cancers).
- Results of any previous cancer-related genetic testing they may have had.
- If they have passed on, their age and cause of death.
Genetic testing
This can help predict your risk of developing a genetically influenced condition and identify carriers. It can also diagnose a disease or condition in someone who is symptomatic, and determine the likely course of a disease, which can help with planning treatment and management. If you have a strong family history of cancer, this is an option worth considering. Before deciding to go this route, discuss your personal medical history and family history with your healthcare provider, like your family doctor, to determine whether you will benefit from genetic testing.