Your family history (immediate and extended) can impact your chances of developing colorectal cancer. It's important to take time to learn your family history and relay the information to your doctor. In general, you're at increased risk if you have relatives who:
- were diagnosed with colorectal cancer or polyps,
- developed colorectal cancer before age 60,
- died from bone or liver cancer since they may have resulted from undiagnosed colorectal cancer,
- have a known genetic predisposition for colorectal cancer,
- died from stomach cancer, since colorectal cancer has been misdiagnosed as stomach cancer in the past, or
- have a history of breast or ovarian cancer.
Ensuring your doctor is aware of your family history is an important step in colorectal cancer prevention. To learn about other causes of colorectal cancer, please read Fifteen Causes of Colon Cancer.
Sources:
- Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Treatment. National Foundation for Cancer Research. 17 Jan. 2007 [http://www2.nfcr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=cancers_colorectal].
- Detailed Guide: Colon and Rectum Cancer: What Are the Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer? American Cancer Society. 7 Mar. 2006. 17 Jan. 2007 [http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_colon_and_rectum_cancer.asp].
- Overview: Colon and Rectum Cancer: What Causes Colorectal Cancer? American Cancer Society. 15 Mar. 2006. 17 Jan. 2007 [http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_2X_What_causes_colorectal_cancer.asp?sitearea=].
