Cancer heriditry- ladies help please?

My grandparents all died of some forms of cancers (lung, breast) my mother had a benign breast lump years ago and my dad had a cancer scare years ago too. My aunt (my mums sister) was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of years ago and my dad died of leukiemia last year. I have had cervical smears and had to have about 6 in a year because they came back abnormal. The last one was normal. Is cancer heriditry? I asked my doctor and she said it's not, but I'm still worried.

Five per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer every year will have a family history of it. The rest either won't, or there is a genetic connection but it's one of the genes that hasn't been isolated yet.

In practical terms, if your mother's sister, or your father's sister has had breast cancer, then you and your mother, and any sisters if you have them, should have some basic screening.

There are several things you can have. I prefer MRI because it's the most sensitive, sophisticated test there is. Most women have mamograms; but these often give a false negative result; i.e. they say there's nothing there when in fact there is.

Also, mammograms involve a small amount of radiation.

You should at least have an ultrasound every year. You should also check your breasts every month, but not just before or just after your period. Best way: with soapy hands, in the shower. Be very light, don't press the breasts; just get used to how they feel, that way if G-d Forbid anything ever develops, you will know.

You don't seem to have a strong family history of this, though, so don't be too anxious. Just be aware, as all women must be.

If you are worried about cervical cancer, you can do two things:

Find a really good gynaecologist and have regular check ups.

Make sure you always use condoms, unless you're boyfriend/husband is circumcised in which there is less risk of this disease for you!

I believe there may also now be a cervical cancer innoculation.

It can be inherited in most cases. If you're worried about your family history, you're doing the right thing. Get checked up a lot, and avoid doing things that we all know cause cancer (like smoking).

Your doctor is wrong. There *IS* a cancer gene.

Show your doctor THIS --> http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/54387.cf...

Be PROACTIVE in your care... and if your doctor isn't cooperating, get a new doctor. It's YOUR life.

Contemporary doctors believe cancer is hereditary and that it is passed down through familial genes. However, wholistic and alterative medicince type doctors (those who believe in herbal treatments, diet, etc as a way to good health as opposed to just poppin drugs prescribed) believe that is is hereditary but not necessary passed down through genes but instead passed down through tradition of family recipes (meaning eatign same type of foods, diet) and other possibly unhealthy, cancer-thriving lifestyles. So if I were you, I'd try to watch my diet and anythign else that you see in common with all the maily members who had cancer and avoid it.