Cancer of the parents increases the familial risk

Also, the cancer of parents in old age increase the risk of cancer in the offspring

23/01/2013

Even if parents only develop cancer later in life, their children are at significantly higher risk of cancer, according to the latest release from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. So far, physicians have assumed that the relationship applies only to cancer cases at a young age, but the experts of the DKFZ have now been able to prove that even cancer in old age of parents associated with a growing likelihood of cancer in the offspring. Their results have the researchers in the trade magazine „British Medical Journal“ (BMJ).

According to the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, the risk of cancer increases with age. „As people live longer and longer, they also become increasingly ill with cancer“, so the DKFZ on. So far, however, only cancer in early years as a clear warning signal regarding an increased hereditary cancer risk. According to the DKFZ scientists, however, the risk of developing one's own children - known as the familial risk - also increases if the parents only develop cancer at an advanced age.

Eight million data sets evaluated for cancer risk assessment
The scientists of the German Cancer Research Center have in a comprehensive study „almost eight million entries from the Swedish Family Cancer Database (SFCD)“ evaluated to check the familial cancer risk, reports the DKFZ. The data came from the years 1961 to 2008. The result of the researchers is clear: even if parents „only at the age of 70 to 89 years suffering from cancer“ are, the children are subject to a significantly increased risk of cancer. In terms of colorectal cancer, this means that in the case of a disease of a parent between the 70th and 79th year of life, there is a 1.9-fold increased risk for the offspring to also get sick until the age of 60. In breast cancer result „correspondingly a 1.8-fold increased risk“, the scientists of the DKFZ continue. Even if the parents fall ill at the age of over 90 years, it can be for some cancers to detect an increased risk.

Avoid risk factors, use check-ups
In the case of particularly early oncoses of one parent (before the age of 40), the increase in risk in the offspring is significantly more dramatic. For colorectal cancer, the risk of disease increases 9.9-fold in such cases and 5.2-fold for breast cancer, according to the DKFZ. The scientists around Dr. Elham Kharazmi assume that, „that genetic factors are the basis for familial cancer cases“ and hope that their findings will help, „to deepen the knowledge about the genetics of cancers.“ That way „Family members with a genetic predisposition to cancer consciously avoid risk factors and use regular check-ups“, so the conclusion of the DKFZ. (Fp)