Lung Cancer-Twins Question

fullyheatted · New User Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 2

One of my father's siblings has lung cancer in both lungs. The male sibling with lung cancer is part of fraternal twins, and the other twin is a female smoker. Is she at high risk for lung cancer, also? Could he have had a weaker system since he is a twin? Both twins have smoked for over 20 years at least a pack a day. They are both in their 50's. Thank you in advance for any answers you provide.

brainman · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:31 am Post subject: Re: Lung Cancer-Twins Question

fullyheatted, I am very sorry about your uncle's cancer. About his twin, I do not think there is any scientific proof that a twin is at higher risk simply because she is a twin of a lung cancer victim.

Having said that, she might be at higher risk for other reasons:

She is a smoker

I assume she lives or lived in a similar environment as her twin so was exposed to similar pollutants

Finally, she should stop smoking and get a chest x-ray. I would give this advice to anyone... you and me included.

Best wishes.
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pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 1036

Fully,

I find myself echoing Brainman's comments a lot. He is right, they haven't proven conclusive genetic links yet for lung cancer. I do see it run in families though, but doctors say it is because of a familial smoking patterns and similar environmental exposure.

Quitting smoking will reduce the odds, but DNA damage from smoking does not reverse itself, which is contrary to what we all heard for years. My husband quit smoking 20+ years before he was diagnosed and we unknowingly operated under the "in ten years your lungs will be like you never smoked" theory at the time.

I hope for the very best for your relatives and I'm sorry your Uncle has been stricken with lung cancer. It is the largest cancer killer in the United States and the World, although very little of that is well-known publicly.

Warm Wishes,
PBJ
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fullyheatted · New User Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 2

Thanks to both of you for your responses and your condolences.

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