A 64-year-old woman has the following family history: One sister, who was a smoker, had lung cancer at the age of 63 years; another sister had breast cancer at the age of 70 years. Her father had prostate cancer at 82 years of age, and her mother had breast cancer at age 71 years. She has three other sisters, now aged 58, 60, and 65 years who have no history of cancer. She has two daughters and two sons between the ages of 25 and 39 years, who have no history of cancer. Her ancestry is European in general, and she is not of known Ashkenazi Jewish descent. She is concerned that "cancer runs in the family" and would like to have one of those "gene tests" she has read about. What is the best advice to give her and her family?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Given the family history described, there is no clear pattern suggesting a hereditary cancer syndrome that would necessitate genetic testing beyond what is recommended for the general population. The cancers mentioned (lung, breast, and prostate) are relatively common in the general population and occurred at ages that do not strongly suggest a hereditary cancer syndrome. Additionally, the patient is not of known Ashkenazi Jewish descent, which could have increased the likelihood of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Therefore, the best advice is to continue with general population screening and risk-reduction strategies.

A 64-Year-Old Woman Has the Following Family History: One Sister