Family History of Lung Cancer Increases Risk

When Dana Reeves died last month of lung cancer, everyone was quick to point out that she was a non-smoker. If she had a family history of lung cancer, she would have had a 25 percent higher risk of developing cancer than those without a positive family history.

While smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer and is completely preventable, 10 to 16 percent of all lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers. Latest research showed:

• Relatives of lung cancer patients were about 10 years younger than relatives of healthy controls when they were diagnosed with a tumor.
• The average age of diagnosis with lung cancer was 60.6 years among relatives of never-smoker lung cancer patients versus 74.2 years for relatives of the healthy controls.
• Family members of lung cancer patients had more than a six-fold increased risk of developing young-onset (before age 50) lung cancer than controls. Their risk of developing any type of cancer before age 50 was 44 percent higher.
• Smoking relatives of lung cancer patients had a 68 percent higher risk of developing lung cancer compared to the controls.
• Mothers of lung cancer patients had more than double the risk of developing breast cancer.

For more information on the importance understanding your family health history, see my three-part series.

Forbes.com, April 4, 2006