Hi, my mother has just been diagnosed with cervical cancer, we are awaiting the stage result. My father had kidney cancer and died, my grandmother on my mothers side died of lung cancer and my grandfather on my fathers side died of bowel cancer. I am very worried I will get it too. Is there anyway i could be tested for this? I am 27 year old female.
Thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. I can understand your situation and problem. Cancers can be hereditary and runs in family. But it is not always true. But chances of cancer is high if family history of cancer is positive. You can do annual health check up every year to detect cancer early. Health check up should contain1. Chest x-ray for lung cancer2. PAP smear for cervical cancer.3. Ultrasound examination of abdomen to rule out liver, stomach and kidney cancer.4. Routine blood investigation like CBC (complete blood count) to rule out blood cancer. So consult your nearby hospital and discuss these tests. You can also get done genetic testing but very few centers are doing this. No need to worry much as all offsprings don't develop cancer.