How Your Family History Can Affect Your Health
You’ve probably heard that family history can contribute to your chances of developing certain health conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, or neurological disorders. But what does “family history” truly mean — and how can you tell if it increases your risk?
Multiple risk factors — including genetic mutations and family history — interact with and compound upon each other to determine the risk of developing cancer and other health conditions, according to Leena Tran, MS, CGC, a licensed and certified genetic counselor with the Genetics Program at the Torrance Memorial Hunt Cancer Institute, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai Cancer.
“We know most cancers are sporadic and only 5-10% of cancers are truly hereditary,” said Tran. “However, we also know that having certain genetic mutations, such as a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, can put people at higher risk of developing cancers including breast and ovarian cancer, and their first-degree relatives — including children, siblings, and parents — have a 50% chance of having the same genetic mutation.”
Other genetic mutations can cause cardiovascular conditions such as familial hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) and neurological conditions such as Huntington’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
A Comprehensive Risk Assessment
Tran also noted that even if genetic testing doesn’t identify associated genetic mutations, a strong family history of a specific health condition can increase your risk. This includes conditions such as Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes or stroke.
“We try to gather family history on at least three generations, including children, siblings, parents, aunts/uncles, cousins, and grandparents,” said Tran. “We also look at each patient’s personal history and other risk factors to provide the most comprehensive risk assessment.”
But providing the most useful information and recommendations starts with understanding the patient’s goals — including their reasons for seeking genetic testing and what they hope to learn.
“If someone’s genetic testing is negative, they can still be at increased risk due to other factors,” said Tran. “If an individual is found to be at increased risk for a certain health condition, this information can be used to make a referral to a specialized high-risk care team and guide screening and preventive treatment decisions.”
Starting the Conversation with Family
If genetic testing reveals a mutation, genetic counselors also provide guidance and recommendations on how to share the results with family members — including what the results mean, the potential impact, and what testing options may be available.
“We provide patients with a copy of their test results and a letter that can be shared with family members,” said Tran. “I always encourage people to have conversations about family history, even when it’s challenging, because this can be an important source of health information.”
Tran also encourages patients to follow up with their genetic counselor every 1-2 years.
“At follow-up appointments, I make sure patients are getting the care they need, update personal and family history, add or repeat tests, or recommend new screenings based on their risk profile,” said Tran. “Screening guidelines, genetic tests, and test sensitivity are advancing all the time, and it’s a great opportunity to make sure the patient’s concerns, wishes, and goals are being addressed.”
If you have a family history of cancer and are wondering if genetic testing may be right for you, Torrance Memorial’s genetic counselors can help. Call 310-750-3326 to schedule a genetic counseling appointment. Cedars-Sinai provides genetic counseling in the fields of cancer, cardiovascular, neurology, pediatrics and reproductive/prenatal health. Cedars-Sinai counselors can be reached at 310-423-3696.
