Chances of developing cancer

[Jill83]

My dad has lunch cancer. Caused by mining apparently.

But now I’m terrified I am going to get cancer. It’s consuming my thoughts.

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Hello Jill83,

I am very sorry to hear that your dad has been diagnosed with lung cancer, this will be a difficult and stressful time for the whole family.

When lung cancer or any type of cancer is diagnosed in a family, it can be easy to assume that this might increase the risk of other family members developing it, this isn't necessarily so. What we do know that smoking is the biggest risk factor for developing lung cancer but there are some other factors that may increase the chance of developing it, industrial risks such as mining or environmental factors.

roycastle.org/about-lung-ca...

Although the genes we inherit may influence our risk of developing any kind of cancer, this may not be by very much.

If you would like to speak with some one please give us a call on our nurse lead helpline freephone 0800 358 7200

[Jill83 in reply to RoyCastleHelpline]

Thank you. They did say it was industrial.

[JanetteR57]

Sorry to learn about your dad. I remember being devastated when my dad developed bowel cancer in his late 50s (twice) and we thought we'd lose him before he reached 60. At the time there was little information about on cancer but I donated to a charity focusing on diet impact on bowel cancer (that I've since come across - it's a world charity) and tried to keep fit and well. However my dad had never been overweight, smoked or drank so for a while we thought of little else - especially as bowel cancer is known to be hereditary. My dad is now 89 and my mum's carer (she has alzheimer's) and had another primary bowel cancer 2 years ago and had more radical surgery. I was diagnosed with lung cancer following an emergency admission just 2 weeks after my 52nd birthday which was a shock as a never smoker hadn't considered lung cancer to be a risk. I have done a lot of research into the specific type of lung cancer that I had (7cm mucinous BAC - a type of adenocarcinoma) and for the last 5 years have been involved in lung cancer research nationally and internationally. Initially it was believed that lung cancer occurring in families was more likely to be due to smoking habits or secondhand smoke but I have met patients where several generations of relatives had died from it but were not smokers and all were industrial related. It's only the last few years that more work is being done into the causes of lung cancer (it's some way behind other cancer sites on this) but in general, there are lifestyle changes you can make to reduce risks of developing most cancers. I found the book 'anticancer - a new way of life' by Dr Servan Schreiber really helpful on this. you may want to seek out counselling for yourself too to put your mind at ease. good luck to you and your dad.

[Jill83 in reply to JanetteR57]

It’s all so frightening. Dad has no symptoms it was found at his well man appointment. I’m terrified. I’m convinced I will get it or my children will get it.

I’ve got counselling coming up so I hope it helps.

Well done on the amazing work your doing. Xx

[JanetteR57 in reply to Jill83]

I understand your fear but honestly you probably have as much chance of being in a car accident yet we never think twice about getting in a car. I do hope counselling helps. Even in cancers where certain genetic mutations increase the odds (such as breast BRCA gene) it doesn't mean that every carrier will develop cancer. I know somebody whose daughter has been raised with that real fear having tested positive and it affects her hugely mentally. I found a really helpful book called 'cancer is a word not a sentence' by Dr Rob Buckman that helped me understand the context and stop imagining every symptom I had after diagnosis was cancer related. One way to reduce the odds of developing any cancer is lifestyle driven as the number one preventable cause of cancer is smoking followed by obesity. Although there are plenty of us who have not smoked and not obese that develop cancer, these two drivers are evidenced to contribute vastly to the high number of cancers globally. It's over 8 years since my diagnosis and I've met lung cancer patients who have survived 20+ years - from what was available on the internet at the time, that didn't seem possible but believe me it is. It sounds as if your reaction is one of acute anxiety following the shock of your dad's diagnosis - I do hope the counselling helps you put it in perspective as your dad will need your support as will your children. good luck.

[Jill83 in reply to JanetteR57]

Thank you. I’ll take a look at that book x