http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/cgenetics/ Latest NetWellness content for Cancer Genetics en-us Copyright 2007 NetWellness.org Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:12:00 PST http://www.netwellness.org/images/logo/nwlogosmall.gif http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/cgenetics/ <b>Question</b>: Hi, my mother died from pancreatic cancer age 47, both her parents were cancer free and lived till very old age. We think her grandmother, her fathers mother, had liver cancer age 55, genetics at cambridge have told me it was most likely a chance thing but ive always been worried. My grandfather had . . .<p><b>Answer</b>: <p>Your concern is understandable given the young at age which your mother was diagnosed. Most pancreatic cancers are "sporadic;" that is, not caused by an identifiable genetic factor. In families in which there is a genetic explanation we typically find family histories suggestive of a few differen . . .<p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/83679.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:11:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/83679.htm <b>Question</b>: My mother was diagnosed with rectal cancer in Jan of 2011, stage 4. She has done Zyloda and now they say it`s not working. She doesn`t want to do IV therapy. I know with it she will not survive. What are the chances that her family could develop thsi cancer. I have already been diagnosed with thyroi . . .<p><b>Answer</b>: We have learned that first degree relatives of people with cancer (sons, daughters, brothers and sisters) typically have an increased risk for cancer as well. Since your mother had colon cancer, you and your siblings would have about 10-15% chance to develop colorectal cancer; this is about 2-3 time . . .<p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/83416.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:09:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/83416.htm <b>Question</b>: Nine members of my father`s family i.e. himself, brothers and sisters have died of cancers all before reaching sixty. These have included mouth, spine, hodgkinsons.&nbsp;My sister died aged 59 of a brain tumor 6 weeks after being diagnosed with cancer all over. Would it be a good idea for me to be t . . .<p><b>Answer</b>: <p>Considering the number of cancers in your family, I think a genetics evaluation would be a good idea. At this appointment you will meet with a genetic counselor who will want to get more information about your family including the ages of all your relatives (parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, gr . . .<p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/83057.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:07:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/83057.htm <b>Question</b>: Hi: I am a&nbsp;healthy guy who just turned 50; my father had colon cancer at age 40 and my mother got it when she was 51. Both had surgery and neither died from colon cancer.&nbsp;Both of them died from unrelated causes. My question: do I have a significantly increased risk of colon cancer? I ignor . . .<p><b>Answer</b>: <p>Your doctor's recommendation for a colonoscopy is very reasonable, and I encourage you to follow her advice. Generally when people have a family member with colon cancer diagnosed between ages 50 and 60, we recommend that colon cancer screening start at age 40 and be repeated every 5 years. For a . . .<p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/82223.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:03:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/82223.htm <b>Question</b>: I am a female, 34 years old and last year I was diagnosticated with an early gastric cancer, adenocarcinoma of antrum, signet rings cells, T1A, M0, N0 (0/32), V0, G3. I make a subtotal gastrectomy, with limfadenectomy. After a year from surgery, all my analyses are wel. I don/t know about a familiy . . .<p><b>Answer</b>: Because of your age and the type of gastric cancer you had (signet ring cell), a genetic analysis would be a good idea, even though you do not have a family history of anyone with other cancers. This kind of gastric cancer is more commonly found in people with a hereditary cancer susceptibilty syndr . . .<p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/81354.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:12:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/81354.htm <b>Question</b>: <p>I&nbsp;have a 7 1/2 month old baby. Would it be ok for her to have&nbsp;an MRI&nbsp;done? Would it hurt her in any way? And would there be a risk of her having a higher risk of getting cancer from having an MIR? </p><p><b>Answer</b>: There are probably minimal risks for the MRI; the concern is that the child will probably have to be sedated; the risks should be discussed with the physician recommending this screening. MRI does not involve radiation (magnetic resonance imaging) and would not be expected affect cancer risk. <p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/80403.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Mon, 20 Sep 2010 21:09:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/80403.htm <b>Question</b>: Dear Doctor: <p>Cancer is very prevalent in our family:&nbsp;brain, renal, bone and so forth. We have learned in recent years of the VEGF test to determine if CA exists. We live in Hawaii. Is it possible to obtain the kit, take the test at home with the supervision of my caregiver who is a retired . . .<p><b>Answer</b>: I can understand your concerns, but I don't think VEGF (vascular epidermal growth factor) is being used as a general screen for the presence or absence of cancer in unaffected people. And as far as I am aware, no such test is available to the general public. There may be an inherited cancer suscepti . . .<p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/80044.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:08:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/80044.htm <b>Question</b>: Hi, I was wondering what my risk of getting breast or ovarian cancer would be with having one aunt on my dad`s side having ovarian caner at 50, and two of his other sister`s with breast cancer and then on my mom`s side both of her two sister`s having breast cancer in their late 50`s and early 60`s? . . .<p><b>Answer</b>: <p>Breast cancer susceptibility can be inherited from both your mother's side of the family and from your father's side of the family. The ages at which women in the family are diagnosed with cancer will influence your risk estimates of breast cancer, as will the number of women who have been diagno . . .<p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/79370.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:06:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/79370.htm <b>Question</b>: I am 55 and have&nbsp;FAP (I knew this) but ignored it. I have been having GI constipation, diarehhea, and bleeding for 1 month and the sleep gene studies say I have FAP. I knew that I was supposed to have cololonscopies starting at 40, but skipped them.&nbsp;Since I have FAP, is it too late to self . . .<p><b>Answer</b>: <p>It's never too late to schedule a colonoscopy, and you should do this right away. Your symptoms would be concerning in anyone, and should prompt an evaluation. I'm sorry that the doctors you have talked with have not taken you seriously, but you should still have a colonoscopy. Keep trying until . . .<p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/79111.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Sun, 09 May 2010 22:05:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/79111.htm <b>Question</b>: My 10-yr-old son (fraternal twin of genetically normal girl and older brother of genetically normal boy) was diagnosed in utero with 45X/46XY chromosomal mosaic. He was born and continues to appear a completely normal male. His last doctor visit on the topic was to geneticist at 1 yr of age. Physica . . .<p><b>Answer</b>: Your questions would be best addressesd by a specialist is following your son on a regular basis. You should either return to the medical geneticist whom you saw when your son was first diagnosed or find another medical geneticist. You might also consider seeing an endocrinologist if you are not abl . . .<p><b>Ask an Expert</b>: Duane Culler PhD, MS, Cancer Genetics http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/78206.htm Duane Culler PhD, MS Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:03:00 EST http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/78206.htm