Can breast cancer be inherited?

One of the greatest fears we have is to go through terrible diseases such as cancer, especially when family members have been victims of them. Therefore, it is possible that from a young age we wonder if breast cancer is inherited or not, for example, when our mothers, aunts or grandmothers have suffered from it.

The answer to this question is that Yes, there is a greater risk of breast cancer if there is an inherited condition. What we have left is to look for solutions and early diagnoses, and we'll talk about this below.

When they talk to us about breast cancer, it is normal for us to feel more afraid because, according to the World Health Organization, it is the second cause of mortality in women in Latin America and the Caribbean. [1]

But now we ask you: is it time to worry and lower our defenses or is it time to take action by going to the doctor early and safely? Indeed, although we are human beings and we cannot help but worry, we must leave fear aside to get busy. The first tool we have at our disposal is information.

What are the chances of inherited breast cancer?

According to statistics from the World Health Organization, between 5 and 10% of breast cancer cases are attributed to hereditary factors due to alterations in certain genes. The main ones are BRCA1 and BRCA2, although some studies also highlight genes PTEN And TP53. [2]

However, this does not mean that if any of our relatives have a mutation in these genes, we automatically have it too. This is why we must remain calm. Remember that for that you have the support of us, who want to see you happy and full of life.

What the WHO wants to tell us with these figures is simply that we are more likely to Inherit this condition. If we have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, we are more likely to produce malignant cells in our breasts around 70 years of age. In other words, there is a greater risk, but it is not a fact that we are going to develop cancer.

Therefore, the responsibility to prevent malignant cells from invading our bodies depends solely on us. If we determine that we have a high chance of mutating these genes, we must Periodic exams, such as mammograms, ultrasound and Thermography so that doctors detect any anomalies in time.

What increases the risk of having BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations?

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention tells us what factors can increase risk of having the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation. [3] That's why we'll detail them below:

• If several of our family members have had breast cancer, both men and women. It is greater if they were diagnosed prematurely, around the age of 40. Let's remember that the genetic burden comes from 50% men and 50% from women, and therefore if our parents carry the mutation of these genes they cannot inherit them.
  
• If our family member had cancer in both breasts.
  
• Also, if in addition to breast cancer, the same family member has had ovarian cancer.
  
• The presence of other types of cancer such as pancreas, colon and thyroid can lead to changes in genes.

What to do if we have a high chance of having inherited breast cancer?

As we said before, the first thing is to be calm if, evaluating your family condition, you detect that you have a high risk of inheriting the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation, mainly. The next step is to see a doctor to monitor your breasts and receive care based on your specific case.

Some experts recommend that we do genetic testing of BRCA1 and BRCA2, but in addition to being quite expensive, sometimes the results lack the desired information. Hence, the most common thing is for the doctor to give us a detailed picture of the history of our families.

Mammograms and thermography

According to our age, the specialist will tell us if we should mammograms or mammograms, as well as determining their frequency. Because in these types of tests there is radiation and therefore they are customary to do at least annually.

For this reason, doctors recommend that in cases of risk of breast cancer by inheritance, to do examinations attached to mammograms, such as the Thermography.

Thermography is an infrared imaging study approved by the FDA and Cofepris, and besides not causing pain, it is intimate, non-invasive and only lasts 10 minutes. It simply detects changes in the temperature of the skin on our breasts. These variations may represent anomalies in this important part of our bodies, and can be performed several times a year due to the absence of radiation.

References

1. Breast cancer. Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization.
2. Prevention: Risk Factors and Prevention of Breast Cancer. Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization.
3. Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
4. Hereditary breast cancer. Geicam.