Breast Cancer Risk Higher in Women With a Family History of Prostate Cancer

The risk of breast cancer increases in women with a family history of prostate cancer or both (breast cancer and prostate cancer) among first-degree relatives, revealed a study conducted by Wayne State University. The study suggests that doctors should analyze the family history before treating. The researchers analyzed the family history of prostate cancer in first-degree relatives i.e. fathers, brothers, and sons among women who were free of breast cancer when enrolled in the previous observational study, but years later were diagnosed with the cancer. They found that family history of prostate cancer increased the risk of breast cancer in women by 14 percent. Families with the history of both the cancers had a 78 percent increase in breast cancer risk, and these risks were found higher among African American women than white women.

"The increase in breast cancer risk associated with having a positive family history of prostate cancer was modest, whereas women with a family history of both breast and prostate cancer among first-degree relatives had an almost 2-fold increase in risk of breast cancer. Patients and physicians didn't consider certain cancer diagnoses among family members, especially those having members of opposite sex, so the clinicians should collect a complete family history of all cancers," said Jennifer L. Beebe-Dimmer, PhD, MPH, of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

The study was published in the journal of the American Cancer Society, CANCER.

Source-Medindia