Understanding your family history is important because your current and future health can be impacted by your family history. The more you know about your genetic predispositions, the more your provider knows where to focus their attention.

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“Family history is critical because some cancers are familial, which means they are genetically inherited. As doctors, we’re looking for patterns to identify those at high risk. If we have this information, we can refer a patient for genetic counseling or early screening.”

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What to ask family members (and write down)

If possible, ask family members about the history of cancer and other serious illnesses on both sides, at least as far back as your grandparents. This includes parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. If you learn of cancers or illnesses that go back further than that, please share those details with your provider. 

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We know there are barriers to learning family history and that details can be hard to recall, so it’s important to record anything you learn. It’s also important to tell your provider about aspects of your family history you don’t know about.

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When it comes to cancer, providers will want to know:

• The relationship (parent, aunt/uncle, or grandparent), and whether the relation is on your maternal (mother’s) or paternal (father’s) side
• Type of cancer diagnosed and how advanced (if known)
• Age at diagnosis (even an approximate age is helpful)
• Family history of high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, blood clots, or propensity for strokes may also be relevant, as these can impact a provider’s decision about prescribing hormones or certain contraceptives

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Most cancers are not hereditary

Fortunately, only 5-10% of cancers are caused by inherited cancer gene mutations. These include certain breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers from the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. Those patients who carry a genetic mutation can have a much higher risk of developing cancer, so it is important to find out as much as you can about your family health history.  Please share any details that you can regarding your family history. Your provider will use this information to help determine if you are at a higher risk for cancer and might benefit from genetic counseling. 

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For example:

• Cervical cancer: not typically linked to genetics. Most often, this is caused by a persistent HPV infection.
• Hereditary breast cancer: typically shows up at younger ages, pre-menopause.  If there is a known family history with this pattern, or other signs of an inherited genetic mutation, your doctor may recommend additional screening, starting at an earlier age.

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Hereditary ovarian cancer: Pelvic ultrasounds and/or blood tests may be recommended every six to twelve months for those with a family history of ovarian cancer or known genetic predisposition. Testing is not generally recommended without these risk factors.