A new study suggests that if you a family history of cancerous brain tumors, it may put you at a higher risk of developing the same kind of tumors.
In this study, published in the Sept. 23 issue of Neurology, the researchers examined the medical records and family histories of almost 1,401 people who had either astrocytomas (tumors in the brain or spinal cord) or glioblastomas that is considered a more aggressive kind of astrocytomas.
The researchers found that the people who had immediate relatives with glioblastomas were at two times more likely to develop these tumors as well. And similarly, people who had immediate relatives with astrocytomas had four times higher risk of developing the same kind of tumor.
Dr. Deborah Blumenthal, from the Huntsman Cancer Institute at University of Utah in Salt Lake City, said: “Our findings suggest that people who have a family history of brain tumors must make tell their doctors about them and discuss the involved risk factors.”
“We are quite hopeful that further studies in this connection will surely help to find out the genes that may become the cause of developing such sorts of brain tumors,” she added.
1 Users Response In This Post
This is hardly surprising since many forms of cancer tend to run in families, even when there is no as-yet-discovered connection. They’ve isolated a mutated gene that predisposes a person to developing breast cancer. Someday they will unlock more of the genetic code and perhaps learn to fix these genes before there are problems.
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