Sibblings

[davidap]

Further to my last post. When I was diagnosed I spoke to my two sisters, the youngest (64) was troubled by heartburn and was on omeprazole, she asked for endoscope and they discovered Barretts. Older sister (67) has been on omeprazole for some years and is checked regularly. Does it run in families?

[sallym]

I do know a lady who was diagnosed with Barretts and operated on several years ago. Her son late thirty early forty was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus shortly afterwards, and operated on.

He then went on to have a non malignant brain tumour also operated on. Both now leading active lives.

Proof of early diagnosis!!! Age should not be an issue.

My brother and son have also been checked, my son having a small hiatus hernia. Sally

[chrisrob]

Although strictly speaking not a genetic disease inasmuch as it is not automatically inherited, there have been genes identified that predispose us to Barrett's Oesophagus and Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma as these studies reveal: eurekalert.org/pub_releases... , eurekalert.org/pub_releases...

[strangetimes in reply to chrisrob]

Interesting . I suppose it's not suprising to worry about relatives if one has had this disease oneself ,so I'm a bit biased in my thinking .

My father ( who died of heart attack before the age at which I was diagnosed ) was a martyr to indigestion /heartburn .

One of my brothers suffers a great deal ,is on omeprazole and gets regular checks .

I wondered if some people produced higher levels of acid in their stomachs than others and also if there could be a disposition towards hiatus hernia caused by some physical weakness .

So interested to read this

" suggests there may be structural factors in the stomach and oesophagus that predispose a person to develop the condition. This is consistent with evidence that a structural deficit, namely hiatus hernia, is known to be strongly associated with BE. "

in the study mentioned above . Though this

" Finding a gene here suggests that the immune system is not under control and is in over-drive in patients with BE. This suggests that it could be controlled by anti-inflammatory agents." is also interesting .

I worry a great deal about my son who at 22 is getting indigestion and burps a lot .

[Spikey]

Both my parents died of cancer and three of my grandparents, though all of different types. My brother has had bladder cancer and my father suffered all his life with a duodenal ulcer. I too worry about my sons, one of whom suffers badly with acid reflux. I am convinced there is a genetic predisposition towards cancer generally.

[DaveChuter]

Hi,

Not strictly something that is inherited down the family line but seems to be linked in some way, maybe a predisposition via faulty family DNA gene or just that we just kind of live / eat (have same tastes) in a similar manner to other family members?

My father had Barrett's, known about for 20 odd years without cancer developing, an uncle who had OG cancer and his son has Barrett's so the link is there in some form but not proven in any way.

Not sure of any research going on about the possible link.

Best wishes,

Dave C