“My father got prostate cancer when he was 54. My elder brother got it at 52. And I got it at 56, despite my healthy habits.”

This story might sound familiar, which may make us think that many men can have a genetic predisposition to prostate cancer, depending on their family history. But what is it really about?

A Gene Story

It is true that for some common cancers, there is a hereditary predisposition. Genes potentially able to provoke the disease being only a few, the proportion of people with a high risk of receiving a cancer diagnosis among the same family is sometimes high.

However, for prostate cancer, the number of genes that could predispose someone to the disease is much higher. In fact, scientists are still studying the potential role of these genes with the hereditarily occurrence of prostate cancer.

A Link with Breast Cancer?

We hear less often a man telling he had prostate cancer while his mother or his sister had breast or ovary cancer when she was about the same age. At first, these types of cancers are really different and have nothing to do with each other.

Yet, some suggest that they could be related. Indeed, BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes both contribute to hereditary predisposition to breast and ovary cancers. It is possible that these two genes are also linked to prostate cancer. It seems like families bearing mutations in these genes not only have a higher number of breast and ovary cancers cases than the average, but also more cases of prostate cancer.

Fortunately, it is not because you have hereditary predispositions that you will necessarily have cancer! However, it is important to consult your doctor if the subject concerns you, especially due to your family history.

Source: IMPACT study