Search Results for: genetics and prevention

胰腺癌具有遗传性吗?

大多数胰腺癌（pancreatic cancer）病例都无法查清诱因，但是，约有10%的胰腺癌是源于家族病史的。如果一个人的家族中有胰腺癌病史，这并不代表他（她）就会患上这种疾病，而是他（她）比常人有更高的患病风险。

2010年代最重要的癌症研究进展

2010年代，以一种革命性的新癌症疗法临床试验的惊人结果为开端，以一项截然不同却获得诺贝尔医学奖的癌症研究为终止。在这一头一尾极为不同的两端，2010年代是有诸多进步的十年，其间的科学发现使得美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）在2017年批准了首个嵌合抗原受体细胞疗法（CAR T-cell therapy），此后，多项相关疗法随之获批。

曾经患癌会加剧其它癌症的患病风险吗?

在某些情况下，曾经患癌的人群患有新癌症的风险或高于平均水平，新癌症即为与原始肿瘤扩散或转移无关的癌症。尽管在以后的生活中，绝大多数确诊患癌的人群不会患有不同的恶性肿瘤，但生存者也需要熟知可能导致其具备患病风险的因素。

晨型人与乳腺癌患病风险

除精神饱满地醒来并拥抱新一天的到来以外，做一个早起晨型人（morning person）或许还有更多的益处。

5 Things to Know About Early Cancer Detection

Many types of cancer can be detected at an early stage, when they have just started to form and have yet to spread to other parts of the body. Early detection can be critical, because cancer can often be more successfully treated in its initial stages than when it has grown and metastasized. Self exams … Read more

What are BRCA1/BRCA2 Gene Mutations?

Harmful BRCA mutations are uncommon in the general population. About one in every 500 women in the United States has either a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation.

Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer: What You Should Know

Many factors contribute to increased breast cancer risk for some women — including certain inherited genes. About 5 to 10 percent of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary, meaning that they are the direct result of gene mutations passed on from a parent. Genes are individual units of inheritance made of DNA. There … Read more

How is DNA Sequencing Used in Cancer Therapy?

Cancer therapy is increasingly aimed at the fundamental abnormalities within cancer cells – the genes and proteins that normally keep cell division under control, but are damaged or faulty in tumor cells. To understand which genes are abnormal, where they’re located within the genome, and how they affect cell growth, doctors and scientists use a … Read more

New Online Tool Guides Genetic Testing for Lynch Syndrome

A new online assessment tool developed at Dana-Farber can help rapidly identify people who should undergo genetic testing for Lynch syndrome, an inherited disorder that greatly increases the lifetime risk of colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, stomach, and other cancers. An estimated 1 in 279 individuals – nearly a million people in the United States – carry … Read more

我需要基因检测来评估癌症风险吗？

绝大多数癌症没有明显的遗传关联，但是对于确诊患癌或者有明显家族患癌史的人群而言，基因检测往往可以追溯癌症的诱因或者个人患癌（或其他癌症）的可能性。基因检测出的信息在确定癌症的治疗方案、高危人群如何降低风险方面起到至关重要的作用。 我们采访了丹娜—法伯癌症遗传学和预防学中心（Center for Cancer Genetics and Prevention）的遗传学咨询副主任Jill Stopfer女士（Jill Stopfer, MS, LGC），就您最关心的基因检测评估癌症风险方面的问题作出详细解读。 如果我患癌（或曾经患癌），对遗传风险进行基因检测还重要吗？ 对于有患癌史（近期或早年确诊过）的人群而言，基因检测可以帮助医生更好地了解癌症的生物学原理，并确定最佳的治疗方案。 例如，患乳腺癌的个人可能携带相关的易感基因。若基因检测显示他们携带与乳腺癌相关的基因突变，如：BRCA1或BRCA2突变，那么医生可能会推荐他们选择不同的治疗方案或以后的筛查和预防措施，这与不携带该基因突变人群的治疗方案有所不同。 此外，如果个人有癌症的遗传风险，那么他（她）的其他家人或许也携带基因突变，或同样需要检测。对于基因检测呈阳性的人群来说，他们可以探索潜在的预防措施，或者早早对癌症开始筛查。 丹娜—法伯癌症遗传学和预防学中心对一系列症状和基因展开测试，包括但不限于： 遗传性乳腺癌和（或）卵巢癌基因 李-佛美尼症候群（Li-Fraumeni Syndrome） 林奇综合征（Lynch Syndrome）或遗传性非息肉病性结直肠癌基因（Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer genes） 家族性腺瘤性息肉（Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP)）以及衰减型家族性腺瘤性息肉基因（Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis genes） 家族性胰腺癌基因（Familial Pancreatic Cancer genes） 点击此处查看完整列表。 如果我没有个人癌症病史，医生何时应建议我做针对遗传风险的基因检测？ 对于有家族患癌史且有遗传易感性的人群而言，基因检测或成为一个可选方案。显著家族病史的特征包括： 一位家族成员检测出遗传突变阳性 家族中若干成员患同种癌症。例如：若三位近亲均患结肠癌，那么医学上呈现可能的相关性 家族中有一人或多人患癌的年龄早于一般确诊该癌症病种的年龄 家族中有一人或多人确诊多种不同类型的癌症，这表示某种易感性 上述列表仅罗列了部分情况。家族成员较少或对家族史了解有限的人群也可能携带风险基因。丹娜—法伯的遗传学咨询专家可帮您判断基因检测之于您的使用情况。 了解更多信息：《基因检测咨询的实用信息》 如果我检测到遗传癌症突变呈阳性，该怎么办？ 如果您的某种遗传癌症突变结果呈阳性，那么遗传学咨询专家能够帮您梳理相关的风险，根据您个体的遗传学信息，这些致病风险或大或小。 您可以参考一下步骤，采取相关措施： 展开早筛：早筛广泛适用于乳腺癌（breast cancer）和结肠癌（colon cancer）。目前，学界正在针对高风险的前列腺癌（prostate cancer）人群展开筛查方法的开发。早期的评估适用于胰腺癌（pancreatic cancer）筛查。 考虑预防措施：预防措施侧重于健康，如：营养学和运动，但在某些情况下，医生也会采取医学或外科介入。 … Read more

Do I Need Genetic Testing to Assess My Cancer Risk?

The vast majority of cancers do not have a strong hereditary link, but for people who have been diagnosed with cancer or have a significant family history of the disease, genetic testing can often shed light on the cause of the disease or an individual’s likelihood of developing it or other cancers. This information can … Read more

BRCA-Positive Mom Takes Control of Her Cancer Risk

After learning in December 2014 that her father was a carrier of the BRCA-1 gene, Katherine Saunders immediately knew she needed genetic testing. The 37-year-old mom of two had a 50-50 chance of inheriting the gene, which increases the risk of ovarian and breast cancers, and was likely responsible for the multiple breast cancer diagnoses in … Read more

Can Pancreatic Cancer Be Inherited?

Most cases of pancreatic cancer develop for unknown reasons, but about 10 percent occur in families that have a strong history of the disease. That doesn’t mean that if you are a member of such a family you will develop pancreatic cancer, but rather that you are at a higher risk for it. “Research has … Read more

How to Talk to Your Family about Genetic Cancer Risk

Certain genetic conditions, such as Lynch syndrome, significantly increase your risk of developing some forms of cancer. Learning you have one of these conditions can be emotionally challenging, and deciding when and how to tell your relatives can add an additional layer of worry. Katherine Schneider, MPH, LGC, a senior genetic counselor in Dana-Farber’s Center … Read more

Do All BRCA Mutations Come with the Same Cancer Risk?

Women born with mutations in the genes BRCA1 or BRCA2 have an increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, but the degree of increase depends on a variety of factors. Not all mutations within these genes raise the risk equally. A study published earlier this year tracked breast and ovarian cancer occurrences over a 75-year … Read more

Five Questions About Vitamin D

Sometimes known as the “sunshine vitamin” because it’s produced by the body in response to sunlight, vitamin D is important for maintaining strong bones and ensuring healthy functioning of the lungs, cardiovascular system, immune system, and brain. Because of concerns that excessive sun exposure can lead to skin cancer, some people may avoid spending much … Read more

Five Myths About Breast Cancer

There’s a broad range of news and information about breast cancer online, which creates opportunities to learn about prevention, treatment, cures and recurrence. But it also means you may run into confusing misinformation and oversimplifications. Here are some popular misconceptions about breast cancer. MYTH #1 Most breast cancer is hereditary. While it’s true that a woman’s … Read more

Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together

By Jenn Perry When I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 36, it was like déjà vu for my family. My mother had been diagnosed with the same disease at the same age, while pregnant with her third child. I learned I had breast cancer just six months after giving birth to my second daughter. … Read more