Brain tumours - very selfish question

[Sparky0207]

This is probably going to sound really really selfish considering the circumstances, but are brain tumours hereditary?
The reason im asking, ive just found out my nan has a brain tumour (have written all about it in my pregnancy journal) and my mum has had one for a few years too. My mums is benign as far as we know, but it looks as though my nans is not.

Cancer runs in my mums side of the family and I wondered if I am at increased risk? I dont want to ask my family for fear of looking very selfish but I am concerned for my own health as my mum and nan are both very young to have them.

 

[Laura1984]

I'm not sure sweet heart. My Mum has had breast cancer and had her breast removed, from what I know there is no hereditairy (sp?) link with any cancers. But I do know that if I ever find a lump or have any reason to believe I may have the same I will be sent straight for a mamogram.
I just think if there is cancer in your family (ie more then one person having a vertain type) then you will be treated as more 'at risk' with symptoms even though there is no actual proof.
Does that even make sense!!?
Really sorry to hear about you nan xxxx

 

[WaitingForYou]

There are some tumor's that are inherited. But half the time, it is unknown wether they are inherited or not. Its only certain types of tumor's though. I cant say much more than this. My Aunty has battled 10 year with a brain tumor starting at only 35, and had brain surgery to remove the inside of the tumor. It started to grow back though and a further 5 appeared on her brain. We never knew why this happened. No one in our family has suffered with this apart from her. She went through therapy and various pills and steroid's but they couldn't save her. My mum and nan nursed her through her last couple of months, and were there every waking minute. Sadly she passed away in April aged 47.

Hope your nan and your mum are okay. To get more information on the type of cancer's and tumor's that are hereditary maybe talk over some worrys with a doctor? Im not really sure.

 

[Sparky0207]

Thanks girls. Ive debated speaking to our doctor about it (mum, nan and I have the same doc) but I feel selfish considering the circumstances.

Mums and Nans tumours are very different - mums is a slow growing benign tumour that is relatively easy to operate on should it create a prob in the future, but nans is in a place where they cant operate and is a much faster growing tumour, we are just waiting for the results to see if its cancerous or not.

Ive googled it (naughty I know) and it says some are hereditary but maybe because they are so different im at a lesser risk?

 

[sam's mum]

So sorry to hear about your nan and you're not being selfish at all.

It is possible to inherit a predisposition to a certain cancer - meaning that you could be at a higher risk than average, but that doesn't mean that you would go on to develop a tumour. There are ways to reduce your risk (lifestyle etc) too, and just because that increased risk runs in your family, that doesn't mean it will definitely be passed on to you x

 

[orange-sox]

A lot of the time when cancer appears to be hereditary it can actually be due to environmental factors, as well as an inbuilt pre-disposition to certain types of cancer.

Like sam's mum says, people don't get cancer because of a pre-disposition, and there are a lot of steps you can take to help yourself, lifestyle factors being a major part of it. If you are seriously worried, your doctor is most definately the best person to speak to. It's not selfish at all to be worried, you are considering the future you will have with your child... your doctor will understand this completely.