my husbands sister just finished treatment for breast cancer, she is 42. I know for sure that her ailment was?

Question

a result of BAD diet. For the last 20 odd years that she has been married her family has been eating outside on a daily basis. She doesn't cook and even gets breakfast from a nearby restaurant. Basically a lot of meats, fried, baked and white flour stuff.
I want to know if her ailment increases the risk for my husband and kids. Does the breast cancer thing run in the family ?
None of my husbands other relatives have ever had cancer.

Answer 1

Your husband and kids have exactly the same risk of developing cancer as they did before his sister was diagnosed.

Since you "know for sure" that she caused her own cancer with her diet, perhaps you should be heading some huge team solving the problem, since researchers who have studied breast cancer for decades don't even know as much as you do!

Or perhaps you ought to consider how much harm you can do by publicly blaming people for their cancers, and think about what you can do to help her and her family.

The majority of breast cancer patients are women whose family has no history of breast cancer. Since there are many types of b.c., you'd have to know more than just that she was diagnosed to figure out if there is a genetic predisposition in your husband's family. However, if you "know for sure" that it's her diet that caused it, why are you worried?

L.
.

Answer 2

Unfortunately breast cancer is genetic and puts anyone in the in relation at a greater risk. Diet plays a part, but not a cause. There are other factors also, like birth control, and other medications that can help promote the cancer. There are many myths regarding breast cancer, the best thing to do is research like on webmd, speak to your doctor and even call the Cancer society for info. That would be your best bet on things you can do to make sure you are getting all the correct information. Today technology has boomed in breast cancer research, early detection is saving so may lives, just get informed so that your husband and children get the appropriate attention. Best wishes!!

Answer 3

Ok, a few facts

Only a very small number (5 - 10%) of breast cancer cases are due to inherited factors, ie genetic. Her oncologist will be able to tell her if her cancer is likely to be due to genetic factors; mine was able to reassure me that mine was not.

Breast cancer is NOT caused by bad diet. There is a nasty tendency to blame the victim when it comes to cancer. There is no actual evidence that cancer is prevented OR caused by a person's diet.

I have had breast cancer, and I was (still am) a vegan - ie no meat or other animal products - who ate loads of veg, fruit etc. It didn't stop me getting cancer, it didn't cure me and it won't stop me getting a recurrence.

So no, you don't know that your sister-in-law's cancer was caused by her diet.

The actual known risk factors for breast cancer are:

Getting older. Most cases (approximately 80%) of breast cancers occur in post-menopausal women (women aged over 50 years).

Having children at at an older age or not at all. The more children a woman has may also slightly lower her risk. Breast-feeding helps protect against the disease. The longer a woman breast feeds her children, the more she lowers her risk.

Starting periods at a younger than average age (under 12) or having a late menopause (after 55)
.
Taking the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) causes a small increase in risk. However, the risk gradually returns to normal after you stop taking them.

Being overweight (especially after the menopause).

Regularly drinking more than 1 unit of alcohol per day slightly increases the risk of breast cancer.

Having a previous diagnosis of breast cancer increases the risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast.

These are only risk factors though, and by no means everyone who ticks one, some or even all boxes will develop breast cancer.

I suggest a little more compassion for the woman; If she's just finished cancer treatment, she's been through hell.

EDIT**: excellent answer LazlaHollyfeld

Answer 4

It is unlikely that her breast cancer was completely caused by her bad diet, although I'm sure it might have had a lot to do with it. There is very probably - almost definitely - genetic factors involved, too. So yes, that would mean there was an increased risk of breast cancer for her family members.

Answer 5

Only 10% of Breast Cancer is genetic. Causes are many there is not just one cause.
Diet does contribute depending on the type of Breast Cancer. Red meat and alcohol do play a big roll in Estrogen prone type.
For all cancers pollution, chemical, process foods our population growth. Lots of wood products we use in building have high level of chemical in the wood that causes cancer.
Those are just the tip of what caused cancer.
But, even knowing what cause cancer nobody is going to stop doing what ever it is. That is human nature.

Answer 6

Ironically I am told that if your mom, sister, aunt had breast cancer chances are less than if no one in your family had cancer. No one in my family had cancer. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February this year. Because people with family members who have been diagnosed with cance seek medical help and check for cancer signs it is less likely to occur within the family. Other people while diligently checking every month don't really know what they are looking for and do not bring up changes that occur. So if you are aware that there is a chance of cancer and the message here is be aware, then get yourself checked. Have yearly physicals and get mammograms as needed... You will be fine.

Answer 7

What Causes Breast Cancer?

We do not yet know exactly what causes breast cancer, but we do know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease. A risk factor is anything that affects a person's chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, such as smoking, drinking, and diet are linked to things a person does. Others, like a person's age, race, or family history, can't be changed. But having a risk factor, or even many, doesn’t mean that a person will get the disease.

Although many risk factors may increase your chance of developing breast cancer, it is not yet known exactly how some of these risk factors cause cells to become cancerous. Hormones seem to play a role in many cases of breast cancer, but just how this happens is not fully understood.

Some women who have one or more risk factors never get breast cancer. And most women who do get breast cancer don’t have any risk factors. While all women are at risk for breast cancer, the factors listed below can increase a woman’s chances of having the disease.

Risk Factors You Cannot Change

Gender

Simply being a woman is the main risk for breast cancer. While men also get the disease, it is about 100 times more common in women than in men.

Age

The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older. About 2 out of 3 women with invasive breast cancer are age 55 or older when the cancer is found.

Genetic Risk Factors

About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are thought to be linked to changes (mutations) in certain genes. The most common gene changes are those of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Women with these gene changes have up to an 80% chance of getting breast cancer during their lifetimes. Other gene changes may raise breast cancer risk as well.

Family History

Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have this disease. The relatives can be from either the mother’s or father’s side of the family. Having a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer about doubles a woman’s risk. (It's important to note that 70% to 80% of women who get breast cancer do not have a family history of this disease.)

Personal History of Breast Cancer

A woman with cancer in one breast has a greater chance of getting a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast. This is different from the first cancer coming back (recurrence).

Race

White women are slightly more likely to get breast cancer than are African-American women. But African American women are more likely to die of this cancer. At least part of the reason seems to be because African-American women have faster growing tumors. Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian women have a lower risk of getting breast cancer.

Answer 8

so ...you "know for sure" that her cancer was caused by bad diet. but then you want to know if the ailment runs in the family. Sounds like you're not so sure about that bad diet!

First, don't be so judgemental of your sister-in-law. Breast cancer is not diet-caused.

And yes, breast cancer has a genetic link.

Answer 9

None of my family had cancer of any kind and I came down with breast cancer. I don't eat at fast food restaurants, I eat fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meat all home cooked. I eat healthy and have for my entire life. I have never been over weight either.
I think it has to do with the preservatives, hormones and pesticides that in our foods. Could be the luck of the draw, plus genetics has a lot to do with it.

Answer 10

It can increase the risk for your kids, because it does run in the family. You did well asking about your husband, because male breast can get cancer too, but it is more rare.