What are the chances of me getting colon cancer?
I am 14 yr old female, and my grandpa later during his life got cancer and died. IS it likely its been pass down to me?
Cancer - 5 Answers
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1 :
Colon cancer is something that tends to run in families. However your diet has a lot to do with it. Since you have a history (although you didn't say your grandpa died from colon caner) you should start being screened when you turn 40. You only need to concentrate on living now not this illness. I have a history of this in my family, several members and I get checked once a year since I turned 40.
2 :
there's a high chance, you can minimize the risk by avoiding or Minimize eating foods that are fatty, salty, oily etc try eating foods rich in fiber colon cancer can also be influence by your diet
3 :
It can be heriditary...if there is family history make sure to get your colonoscopy earlier than 50. I would suggest you get one at 40, or ten years before the youngest one in your family got it. For example, if your grandpa got colon cancer at age 40, you should get your colonoscopy at 30. During your colonoscopy, your doctor may find polyps in your colon and remove them to biopsy. After your first colonoscopy, if there are multiple polyps and chance for cancerous ones in there, you will come back in three years after your colonoscopy. If you had polyps, but they were benign, you would most likely have a five year recall, or if you had a totally normal colonoscopy with no polyps, you won't need one done in ten years!!! Because of family history though, it would probably be a quicker recalll date. Colon cancer is one of the number one cancer deaths in both men and women...and it is curable!!! Good luck and you are young...please don't let this worry you right now!
4 :
Not likely. Without much background on you, I would guess your chances of getting colon cancer are not much different than the average person. There is a hereditary condition HPCC where the colon is full of benign polyps. This increases the risk of getting colon cancer. However, most colon cancers have no hereditary aspect. BTW, no cancer is hereditary (except chrionocarcinoma given by mother to infant). Rather the an increased risk of cancer can be inherited. Cancer is a set of genetic mutations to genes that are involved in cell growth and genes that prevent abnormal cell growth (tumor suppressor genes). In most cancer cases, these genes are mutated during ones lifetime. When people talk about the hereditary aspect of cancer, they usually mean that they have mutated (deactivated) tumor suppressor genes at birth. As for having a grandfather with colon cancer late in life, that is more reason to believe that there is no inheritable aspect. The older a person is the more likely he/she will get cancer. The reasons are two-fold. First, the longer you live the more exposure you get from carcinogens and the more opportunities for a cell to become cancerous. Second, elderly people usually have a weaker immunity system which is key to preventing cancer (There are cancers that only occur in those with compromised immune systems - Kaposi's Sarcoma in AIDS patients).
5 :
It is possible to learn something about the risk of developing colon cancer by looking at factors such as age, weight, diet, smoking history, and exercise. No genetic test currently exists that can identify those who are at increased risk for this kind of colon cancer. There are three types of colon cancer. Sporadic, familial and hereditary. For every one hundred people who develop sporadic colon cancer, which is usually around the age sixty four, five percent have a hereditary factor. People who develop colon cancer and have this type of family background are said to have hereditary colon cancer. There are two primary types of hereditary colon cancer. Each has different hallmarks: Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). Colon cancer develops at an extremely young age (20 to 45). Virtually one hundred percent chance of developing colon cancer by age 45 (unless the colon has been surgically removed).Hundreds or even thousands of polyps in the colon. Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC). Increased lifetime risk of developing colon cancer (as high as 80 percent, compared with 5 percent in the general population). Earlier cancer development compared to sporadic cancers, though not as early as in FAP. (In HNPCC patients, cancer often occurs around age 44, compared with age 64 in sporadic colon cancer, and age 39 in FAP). Increased risk for cancer of the uterus as well as several other types of cancer. They have inherited a mutated gene from one of their parents, and that mutation has made it much more likely that they will develop colon cancer at an early age. Twenty percent have a familial risk. However, the cases would not necessarily have occurred at an unusually early age, nor would they have necessarily been found on only one side of the family. These people are said to have familial colon cancer. They appear to be somewhat more likely to develop colon cancer than people with no family history of the disease. Researchers have pinpointed one mutation that accounts for some familial colon cancers among people of Eastern European Jewish (Ashkenazi) descent. Although DNA testing exists for this mutation, it is not yet widely used. Seventy five of those hundred people have no strong family history. Do not be dismayed by these facts. You would be advised to consult your doctor in order to obtain more detailed medical information in this matter. It may be in your interest to enquire if you should have a test or advice to put your mind at ease. I add a link with details about this subject http://www.genome.gov/10000466 Hope this helps matador 89
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