Hereditary issues

My mother died of Pancreatic Cancer when she was 52.  My Uncle (maternal) died of Colon Cancer in his mid-70's recently and my Aunt (maternal) is in remission for Breast Cancer.  So 3 out of 4 siblings with different cancers.Both of my mother's parents died of heart disease (my grandmother was only 48 and my grandfather was 75).  So there are lots of bad things on my mother's side of the family.  My father's mother lived until she was 92 and died of natural causes.  His father died of a heart attack in his late 70s and his grandfather died colon cancer.  My father is turning 80 this year and has always been healthy with the exception of needing a pacemaker.  I have three older brothers 43, 45, and 48 and none of them have any health problems whatsoever.

I am a 38 year-old female with a brief history of cervical dysplasia (2 cone biopsies with clear margins and normal paps ever since) and a benign ovarian tumor (mucinous cystadenoma) which was surgically removed.  I also had accute ITP when I was a teenager and had my spleen removed which solved the problem.  I've had normal platelets every since.  I do have slightly high cholesterol and my LDL is very low which my doctor said is bad and put me on medication for it.  I prefer to make modifications to my diet, however, rather than take pills.

I live a very healthy lifestyle - I do not smoke and I rarely drink.  I eat healthy and I exercise.  So basically I am doing what I can to ward off any potential bad things. I know I'm already doing what I can to prevent heart disease and there really isn't anything I can do to screen or protect myself from pancreatic cancer.  My question is this:  Should I begin early screening for breast and colon cancer due to my mother's family history?  Are there any genetic studies I can do?

Thank you for your time.

[Lisa Kessler, MS, CGC]

You have a significant family history of cancer, and I hope that this response can point you in the right direction. There are several different cancer syndromes that can run in families and can include multiple types of cancer.  Genetic testing is available for these syndromes.  In general, it is best for someone in the family who has had cancer to be the first in the family to have genetic testing, but that is not always possible.  

You may find it beneficial to talk with a genetic counselor especially one with experience in cancer risk assessment. You can find a local genetic counselor through the National Society of Genetic Counselors or through companies like mine, DNA Direct.    A genetic counselor would review your personal history and family medical history in detail and determine if the cancers fit into a hereditary cancer syndrome. In other words, a genetic counselor would try to determine if there is a relationship among the cancer diagnoses and your family history of cancer.   Knowing if there is a single cause to the diagnoses may help guide your cancer screening and provide you with information about risks for your family members. Genetic testing is available for many hereditary cancer syndromes and you can talk with a genetic counselor about the benefits and limitations of those tests.  DNA Direct offers genetic consultation with board-certified genetic counselors over the telephone and offers genetic testing when medically indicated as well.   Best wishes to you.