My Grandmother has lung cancer from smoking- is that passed down generation to generation??

Answer 1

Cancer is caused by a combination of factors. What you inherit from your grandmother is a predisposition to cancer. Some people have genes that produce resistance to cancer, and others have genes that produce vulnerability to cancer. It's possible that your grandma had the not-so-good form of cancer fighting genes.

It's also more than likely that smoking played a huge part in her getting lung cancer. You have a 6-10x higher chance of contracting it if you smoke regularly. It's also possible that your grandma had good cancer fighting genes, but that her carcinogen exposure was too great for her body to fight off forever.

Without genetic testing of both of you, you'll never know precisely. But what you can control is whether or not you smoke. For the sake of your lungs, (and lots of other parts of your body), please don't smoke, or if you are smoking, please quit.

Answer 2

I don't believe that lung cancer from smoking is passed down, but the inherited addiction gene is passed down from generation to generation. The best way not to get lung cancer not to smoke. That doesn't mean that you will not get lung cancer. My mother, who never picked up a cigarette in her life, had lung cancer. But her cancer started in her ovaries and spread other parts of her body. The best bet is to see your Dr. if you have any question. They may be able to do early detection tests. Good Luck

Answer 3

Your family could have a predisposition to cancer - that's genetic; but if your grandmother got lung cancer from smoking then you will not necessarily get lung cancer. If you smoke, or are exposed to a lot of second-hand smoke then you have a higher chance of getting lung cancer than other people.

Answer 4

No, smoking is not passed down from generation to generation...The cancer is a result of the smoking, therefore, you have no more a chance of getting lung cancer than a nonsmoker who's grandmother does not smoke.

Answer 5

Lung cancer isn't passed down. A predisposition might be. Also, if children live with smokers who smoke inside, I believe they would be more likely to get both COPD and cancer. They have double the reason NOT to smoke, and yet they are more likely to do so (example).

Answer 6

lung cancer is usually environmental. tho sometimes people that have not smoked can get it. it is mostly smokers. if you have a history of cancer in your family then you may be more likely to get cancer in general. do you smoke? that has more to do with whether you will get lung cancer than if your grandmother has it.

Answer 7

They say cancer runs in families. I would stop and think about how old grandma is though. My dad had lung cancer but he was 82. That is pretty old. He had stopped smoking about 25 years before that. There is more than one type of lung cancer. Some is treatable and some is not.

Answer 8

It isn't passed on,and it may not be from smoking.She may have worked in an environment that gave her lung cancer ! My aunt died of lung cancer,never smoked,her husband worked in a dusty factory and by handling his laundry she probably got the cancer !

Answer 9

to be honest , cancer can strike anyone , anywhere at anytime . i spent a lot of time in a childrens cancer unit with my son and i tell you , theres seems to be no rhyme or reason to it . my son died of brainstem cancer ,how or why , noone knows . a 16 year old girl died of lung cancer , never smoked , neither did her parents . for whatever reason it strikes some and not others, yes there are things that are known to possibly cause cancer , but noone is immune .

Answer 10

Yes, Cancer is genetic. It often times will skip one generation then strike the next. So even if you didn't smoke if your grand parents di you may get the cancer. Like Christopher Reeves.