Hereditary Cancer - is it inevitable?

[Dean]

All my family have been amazingly healthy apart from my mum who died of cancer.
I have benign tumours on my spinal cord which are neurofibromas and schwannomas.
They aren't going to kill me.
I was reading recently might have been New Scientist that we are having to take a fresh look at genes because they are not that controlling after all.
So called junk genes aren't and there seems to be other stuff going on at genetic levels that we don't have a clue about.
Environment is looking like a bigger shaper of ourselves then genes maybe apart from the obvious hair colour nose shape tall short etc.
I have a six foot four sone and a five foot four son .... where did that come from?
I'll try and remember where and what I was reading.

am i right in thinking you're very tall yourself, rollup?

I am but then I have a few short kids that come without explanation.

How tall is the milkman?

[Guest]

All my family have been amazingly healthy apart from my mum who died of cancer.
I have benign tumours on my spinal cord which are neurofibromas and schwannomas.
They aren't going to kill me.
I was reading recently might have been New Scientist that we are having to take a fresh look at genes because they are not that controlling after all.
So called junk genes aren't and there seems to be other stuff going on at genetic levels that we don't have a clue about.
Environment is looking like a bigger shaper of ourselves then genes maybe apart from the obvious hair colour nose shape tall short etc.
I have a six foot four sone and a five foot four son .... where did that come from?
I'll try and remember where and what I was reading.

am i right in thinking you're very tall yourself, rollup?

I am but then I have a few short kids that come without explanation.

How tall is the milkman?

He was a right short arse, word on the low was that he DID have a table

[Trapper John]

All my family have been amazingly healthy apart from my mum who died of cancer.
I have benign tumours on my spinal cord which are neurofibromas and schwannomas.
They aren't going to kill me.
I was reading recently might have been New Scientist that we are having to take a fresh look at genes because they are not that controlling after all.
So called junk genes aren't and there seems to be other stuff going on at genetic levels that we don't have a clue about.
Environment is looking like a bigger shaper of ourselves then genes maybe apart from the obvious hair colour nose shape tall short etc.
I have a six foot four sone and a five foot four son .... where did that come from?
I'll try and remember where and what I was reading.

am i right in thinking you're very tall yourself, rollup?

I am but then I have a few short kids that come without explanation.

How tall is the milkman?

3ft 11inches

[dis]

I hope not. My mum had cancer quite young, so did my Granny (her mum) mum's oncologist advised my sister and I get checked but the doctors didn't seem to think it was an issue until recently and I have been referred for a scan.

[Trapper John]

I hope not. My mum had cancer quite young, so did my Granny (her mum) mum's oncologist advised my sister and I get checked but the doctors didn't seem to think it was an issue until recently and I have been referred for a scan.

I hope all turns out right for you.

One thing I learned from helping my daughter with her mum, always second check any opinion or diagnosis you get, we didn't and it cost her life.

[dis]

I hope not. My mum had cancer quite young, so did my Granny (her mum) mum's oncologist advised my sister and I get checked but the doctors didn't seem to think it was an issue until recently and I have been referred for a scan.

I hope all turns out right for you.

One thing I learned from helping my daughter with her mum, always second check any opinion or diagnosis you get, we didn't and it cost her life.

Cheers

That's sad TJ, you be able to trust what health professionals say but I do agree about a second opinion, I wish we had got one for my Dad.

I am monitored quite closely for another health condition, that and the side effects of the medication I am on cause a lot of symtoms so hopefully it's just that.

[NastyNickers]

I hope not. My mum had cancer quite young, so did my Granny (her mum) mum's oncologist advised my sister and I get checked but the doctors didn't seem to think it was an issue until recently and I have been referred for a scan.

I hope all turns out right for you.

One thing I learned from helping my daughter with her mum, always second check any opinion or diagnosis you get, we didn't and it cost her life.

Yes I second this.
Push fir what you think is right.
It was negligence at the local A&E that killed my brother.

[megaera]

FWIW I think your susceptibility to cancer is hereditary, but lifestyle choices can help increase or decrease the likelihood of it occurring.

[Guest]

My grandad had cancer, my Dad had cancer. I’m just waiting for the inevitable. I don’t suppose 20 fags a day helps either...

What made you start smoking again?

[Lady Murasaki]

Smoking kills your taste buds and makes you impotent but it’s so relaxing!

[Guest]

Smoking kills your taste buds and makes you impotent but it’s so relaxing!

It won't make you impotent lm so don't worry about that

[Lady Murasaki]

Smoking kills your taste buds and makes you impotent but it’s so relaxing!

It won't make you impotent lm so don't worry about that

Kills the taste buds though!

[Punk]

No.

[Foxy]

Interesting thread. My great grandma died from stomach cancer. I didn't know her but I understand there was little they could do then. She had a large part of her stomach taken away but never recovered. My grandma lived to a ripe old age, my mum died fairly young and so far no other history of cancer in the family.

Actually, my mum had early onset dementia which frightens me as much, if not more, than cancer. My dad died from a heart attack.

[Cleopatra]

I believe the hereditary element, or predisposition to it, is there. But, my dad died from lung cancer many years ago, and the doctors were quite adamant it was "smoking-related" lung cancer. How do they know he wouldn't have contracted it anyway? They don't. But the smoking must have triggered it. Why play Russian roulette with your health. You take your health for granted when your'e a spring chicken and feel invincible, but I'd rather not tempt fate, or trigger off any predisposition.