Inherited cancer risk
Some prostate cancers are linked to genetic conditions, which run in families. Your risk of developing prostate cancer may be higher if you have a family history, this is known as an inherited genetic risk.
What is an inherited genetic risk?
Some prostate cancers are related to an inherited genetic risk, which means that you may have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer based on a history of cancer in your family. If your father or brother has been diagnosed with prostate cancer this increases your risk of developing prostate cancer yourself. The risk further increases if you have several relatives affected, especially if they were under 50 when they were diagnosed.
If you do have a family history of prostate cancer and are concerned about your own risk, you could benefit from visiting a consultant geneticist. Our highly experienced consultants in clinical genetics specialise in assessing risk for inherited conditions and managing genetic disorders.
What happens during a consultation?
During your consultation at one of our dedicated genetic clinics, your consultant geneticist will review your medical history, and discuss your family’s medical history, to assess your cancer risk. They will help you to understand your personal risk and the options which are available to you.
Your geneticist may recommend that you have a cancer genetic test to discover whether you are carrying a genetic mutation that could cause prostate cancer.
If you choose to have a genetic test and discover that you do have an inherited genetic predisposition to prostate cancer, we understand that this can be a worrying time and you will likely have a number of questions or concerns. Our specially trained genetic counsellors can support you and your family along with the input of our wider multidisciplinary team.
It’s important to remember that being diagnosed with one of these genetic conditions increases your risk but does not mean you will definitely be diagnosed with cancer in your lifetime. However, your consultant can discuss this with you in more detail, along with recommendations on risk-reducing strategies, such as increased screening, which means that many of these cancers can caught and treated at an early stage. We offer genetic testing and genetic counselling services at a number of our facilities.