Knowing about your past could help when it comes to staying healthy in the future
The clinic WOMAN’S GP DR PHILIPPA KAYE ON HER TOPIC OF THE WEEK
The crown being passed to King Charles has got me thinking about what else we hand down to our families. Although most of us don’t have a monarchy to give our children, we do pass on other, sometimes less-wanted aspects, such as health conditions.
When it comes to our health, forewarned is forearmed. This means that you and your doctors can use information from your family history in order to guide any monitoring that you and other members of your family may need. Here’s what to consider…
1 WHO SHOULD I TALK TO?
Ask as many people as you can. Often everyone thinks they should only be concerned about a particular condition if it came from one side of the family or the other. Actually, men can be carriers of the BRCA genes, which increase your risk of breast cancer as well as certain other cancers, so you need to ask both parents about a family history of health conditions.
2 HOW CLOSE ARE WE GENETICALLY?
It may be that the closer the relative is, the more significant the history is to your own health. Your doctor will be particularly interested in the health conditions of your first-degree relatives (parents, siblings and children). However, if you have a number of second-degree relatives affected by a condition, this may also be relevant.
3 WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY HAD?
Illnesses other than cancer are relevant as well – such as heart disease, diabetes and autoimmune issues, as well as combinations of conditions like eczema, asthma and allergies.
4 HOW OLD WERE THEY?
The number of people in your family affected, and the age at which they were affected, is relevant. If you had a parent diagnosed before the age of 40 with breast cancer, you are thought to be at higher risk than if they were 75. But don’t panic if this is the case – only 5-10% of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary.
5 HOW WAS THE REST OF THE PERSON’S HEALTH?
If you have a family history of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks and strokes, it’s relevant to know if the affected person was a heavy smoker or had obesity, as this may have had an impact on their health.
6 WHAT’S MY ETHNICITY?
Knowing the ethnic backgrounds in your family can be helpful, as some conditions are more common for certain backgrounds. The BRCA breast cancer gene mutations occur in about one in every 300 to
