Heredity

In the Western population, about 10% of women have a risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. Sometimes, however, breast cancer is predominant in a certain family. If more than two close relatives have contracted breast or ovarian cancer, especially at a young age, a genetic predisposition is very likely the cause. By this we mean that an inheritable genetic disorder is present in the family and that carriers of this disorder may have an increased risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. Male carriers have an increased risk of prostate or colon cancer.

Prof. Bruce Poppe MD (Medical Genetics at Ghent University Hospital) holds regular genetic consultations at Maria Middelares General Hospital. During this consultation, a medical genealogy will be drawn up and blood will be taken. The purpose of our consultation is to determine whether breast cancer in your family may be hereditary or whether you have inherited a particular mutation that has been shown to cause breast cancer in your family.