Breast Cancer Risk Said To Be Increased By Family History

Breast Cancer Risk Said To Be Increased By Family History
A new study has found that the risk of breast cancer for a woman with a strong family history is four times higher than that of the general population.Very tellingly, this is said to be the case even if she does not carry one of the breast cancer-linked mutations of the BRCA gene.It is noteworthy of mention that according to Canadian researchers, for women younger than age 40 without the BRCA mutations, but with a very strong family history, the risk is about 15 times higher than the general population.Delving further into this report, over a six-year period, the researchers followed up nearly 1,500 women from 365 families who had tested negative for the so-called breast cancer gene mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. The findings suggest there are other genetic mutations that play a role in breast cancer, Metcalfe said. She is to report the finding Monday at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual International Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research meeting, in Washington, D.C.Drawing from related statistics, according to the American Cancer Society, about 184,000 new breast cancer cases and 40,000 breast cancer deaths are expected this year in the United States.Reportedly, previous research is hereby confirmed by the new study said Dr. Shawna Willey, director of the Betty Lou Ourisman Breast Health Center at the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C.She says: Women with this strong family history might consider more frequent screening, including breast MRI. "They could be a candidate for chemoprevention."