can lung cancer be heriditary ?

[brooks]

[Joewarren]

There are many different causes and types of lung cancer, some are believed to be environmental, some causes may be life style, some may be a hereditory disposition to the disease and some causes are just unknown. In short there is no yes or no answer to your question I am afraid. The types of lung cancer and causes of each are diverse. Sorry if this doesn't help, but what may help is the knowledge that just because a relative has lung cancer does not mean a second generation are going to have it.

[brooks in reply to Joewarren]

hi thanks for this joe my father passed away from lung cancer and now i am being tested for it as have been having a few symptons ie shortness of breath pain, in rib cage annoying cough, and loss of voice, pain in shoulder blade.....

[Carpat]

Hi Brooks

This is interesting... My mother who sadly passed away some 34 yrs ago from breast cancer had a lung removed when she was 18, no further probs till breast cancer reared its ugly head in her mid to late 302. Unfortunately she is no longer around for me to ask, but my oncologist tells me this was unlikely to be lung cancer at that early age.

BUT... I am 53 and last yr in Aug (aged 52) I had a left upper lobectomy due to a large cancerous tumour (8.9 cm). Luckily for me the tumour was removed with no spread, but due to its size I had 4 cycles of adjuvant chemo which I found horrific. Hopefully all ok now, but of course you never know, recurrence rate is high.

What I'm getting round to saying is this... WHY??? Ok I did smoke when I was younger, but gave up over 20 yrs ago, in any event only 20% of smokers get lung cancer - complete bloody red herring if you ask me... So, yes I'm sorry but I guess it can be hereditary, just as it can be due to lifestyle etc as previously answered by Joewarren. Upside is its a lot more treatable now and not necessarily a death sentence. Although early days for me, to a certain extent I am testament to this. So don't panic and best of luck

Caroline

[brooks in reply to Carpat]

thanks for replying Caroline, iI dont smoke either and never have done but my dad was a 60 a day man and spent most of his life working in dusty factories , and i also worked full time in pubs before the smoking ban came in. so will jsut have to wait and see i guess.

thanks for both replying. xxxx

[chise]

My father passed away with lung cancer aged 55, my twin sister died aged 57 in 2010 with lung cancer, and I was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2011. We all smoked but also my father used to work for marley tiles which I have just learnt contained asbestos and my twin and I used to play in his marley tile van, so it could be genetic, it could be environmental or it could be the smoking.