Does a family history of cancer mean I will eventually get cancer too? This is a common question and an understandable one at that. Perhaps you have seen family members go through the challenges of a cancer diagnosis and the subsequent journey of treatment. This journey was surely life-altering, not just for the one diagnosed but for family as well.
The current perception of cancer is as a disease that comes out of nowhere, wreaking havoc and destroying lives. A disease determined by our genes – an aspect of ourselves that is unchangeable, unmovable. That once we have a family history of cancer, that’s it, the result is inevitable.
This leads to feeling as though your health is not within your control, predetermined by what was passed down from your parents and their parents before them.
Often people obtain genetic testing to preempt this concern. For instance, many have heard of the BRCA gene – for when present it indicates a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer. In recent years, if the BRCA1 or BRCA 2 gene is present, a preventative treatment women have taken to has been to have a prophylactic mastectomy (preventative mastectomy) in which one or both breasts are removed to decrease the chances of cancer occurrence.
This type of extreme measure relies on one conclusion: Our genes determine our outcomes. But nothing could be further from the truth!
Genes predispose us to certain diseases. While one person may be predisposed to an autoimmune disease another may be predisposed to Alzheimers. The same holds true for cancer. While one person may be predisposed to breast cancer another may be predisposed to leukemia or melanoma.
What does this really mean?
Well, picture your genes as a light switch. We all have different light switches at birth with different locations and purposes. Throughout our life we can choose if we want to turn on certain lights or not. Genes are the light switches but you determine if those light switches turn on in your lifetime or if they remain off.
Genes predispose us to diseases BUT diet and lifestyle determine gene expression. This is an important distinction. This is known as nutrigenomics – the study of the affects of diet on our gene expression. Our family history of cancer merely tells us what we are predisposed to.
According to a 2008 review on cancer risk factors, genetic defects accounts for only 5-10% of all cancer risk while the root cause of the other 90-95% of cancers are lifestyle and environmental.
This is amazing news. If you know you have a family history of cancer, take cancer prevention seriously. Take heed of your lifestyle and diet choices, avoid carcinogenic activities and foods, and fill your life with preventative lifestyle choices.
Want to know how? Book a free call with me HERE. Let’s chat 🙂