Genetics and Health

Family History of Lung Cancer Increases Risk

by Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD on April 5th, 2006

When Dana Reeves died last month of lung cancer, everyone was quick to point out that she was a non-smoker. If she had a family history of lung cancer, she would have had a 25 percent higher risk of developing cancer than those without a positive family history.

While smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer and is completely preventable, 10 to 16 percent of all lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers. Latest research showed:

• Relatives of lung cancer patients were about 10 years younger than relatives of healthy controls when they were diagnosed with a tumor.
• The average age of diagnosis with lung cancer was 60.6 years among relatives of never-smoker lung cancer patients versus 74.2 years for relatives of the healthy controls.
• Family members of lung cancer patients had more than a six-fold increased risk of developing young-onset (before age 50) lung cancer than controls. Their risk of developing any type of cancer before age 50 was 44 percent higher.
• Smoking relatives of lung cancer patients had a 68 percent higher risk of developing lung cancer compared to the controls.
• Mothers of lung cancer patients had more than double the risk of developing breast cancer.

For more information on the importance understanding your family health history, see my three-part series.

Forbes.com, April 4, 2006

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POSTED IN: Genetics of Disease