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LisainCalifornia
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Joined: 04 Jun 2009
Posts: 7
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 Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 10:52 am Post subject: Conflicting studies on whether this is hereditary or not |
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Hi all,
My mom was just diagnosed with Grade 4 Astrocytoma--malignant. I have looked online and found conflicting reports whether this is hereditary or not. There is one study out of Utah that says that there are clusters within families that have this.
This worries me, as I have 3 kids. I wonder if this will be passed to them? Or yes, even me. I have inherited other conditions that my mom has had over the years (she had hormonal and infertility issues, and I did as well....she has suffered with anxiety and panic attacks, and unfortunately I have the same), and I wonder if this is something that will strike me as well. It is just such an awful disease. I know passing away is never easy (especially if you want to live!), but as far as methods go, this one SUCKS! I am sure you all understand that.
So I thought I would ask if anyone has information on this.
Thanks for any help you could provide.
Lisa |
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brainman
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 5985
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: Conflicting studies on whether this is hereditary or not |
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Hi Lisa, I am very sorry about your mother's advanced brain cancer. As you can see in my signature block, I have a long history with brain cancers having one myself and my mother died due to a GBMIV so I am very interested in your question.
I knew that at one time MD Anderson was conducting such a study but I have never see their results. In fact, I have never heard any hereditary link associated with gliomas. The only cancers that I know have a hereditary component are breast cancers and colorectal cancers.
Could you send my the source information for the Utah study you mention? Thanks.
You and your mother are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2405
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2528
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 3: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Twitter: @JimHawkins54
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/James.Hawking54?ref=profile |
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LisainCalifornia
New User
Joined: 04 Jun 2009
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 8:21 pm Post subject: Re: Conflicting studies on whether this is hereditary or not |
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Hi Jim,
I tried to find the original article that I saw online, but can't right now. But I found this--which is related to it:
Strong Link Between Brain Tumor Risk, Family History
Caroline Cassels
September 22, 2008 — New evidence points to a strong link between primary brain cancer risk and family history of the disease.
Investigators at Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, in Israel, and the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City, found individuals with immediate family members with astrocytomas had nearly a 4-fold increased risk of developing the same type of tumor.
In addition, those with immediate relatives with glioblastomas had a 2-fold increased risk of developing the same type of brain malignancy.
"Our study suggests that people with a family history of brain tumors should make their doctor aware of this and any other risk factors they have," principal investigator Deborah Blumenthal, MD, said in a statement from the American Academy of Neurology.
The study is published in the September 23 issue of Neurology.
According to the investigators, previous research indicates there is a "hereditary" component to brain tumors. However, they note that the potential underlying genetic factors remain unclear.
Using the Utah Population Database (UPDB), a large, well-defined, relatively homogenous population, the investigators examined familial clustering of primary brain cancers.
This database includes the genealogy of the Utah pioneers and their descendants, with more than 2 million individuals who have at least 3 generations of genealogical data. Researchers linked this information to data from the Utah Cancer Registry, which was established in 1966.
The investigators examined the records of 1401 individuals with primary brain tumors — 744 with astrocytomas and 658 with glioblastomas — and estimated relative brain tumor risk based on family history.
Individuals with first-degree relatives who had either of the tumor types had a more than a 3-fold increased risk of developing the same type of malignancy.
When tumor types were considered separately, researchers found astrocytoma cases with first-degree relatives who had the same tumor type had had a relative risk of 3.82, and those with glioblastomas a relative risk of 2.29.
These results, the authors note, strongly suggest heredity plays a role in astrocytoma risk but show "only nominal support for such a hypothesis for glioblastomas."
In 2005, there were an estimated 20,500 cases of new primary brain tumors diagnosed in the United States. Of these, 50% were gliomas.
Further study of this database, say the authors, "could allow identification of predisposition genes for brain tumors and provide important information regarding variations in treatment response and prognosis and a better understanding of interactions between genes and environmental risk factors."
or this:
{link deleted by admin}
The kind of brain cancer my mom has is called glioblastoma multiforme.
Thanks for your reply.
Lisa |
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brainman
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Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 5985
Location: Tennessee
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