It is now possible to determine your risk of having inherited a genetic alteration that could lead to cancer thanks to a website.
- Cancer is the leading cause of premature death in France.
- The most common cancers in men are prostate cancer (50,400 new cases in 2018), then lung cancer (31,200 cases) and colorectal cancer (23,000 cases).
- In women, breast cancer is the most common (58,500 cases), followed by colorectal cancer (20,100 cases) and lung cancer (15,100 cases).
382,000. This is the number of new cases of cancer in 2018 in France, according to the National Cancer Institute (INCa). As specified the Cancer Research Foundation (ARC)prevention and the fight against risk factors can reduce the incidence of several cancers. “The reduction in alcohol consumption has reduced the frequency of cancers of the esophagus and the ENT sphere, the reduction in salt consumption has reduced the incidence of stomach cancer. The practice of cervical smear -vaginal, for its part, has greatly reduced the incidence of cancers of the cervix”explains the ARC Foundation.
Cancer: the Ovarian Cancer Action site allows you to determine your risks
Thanks to Ovarian Cancer Action website, it will now be possible to know your risk of having inherited a genetic alteration that can lead to cancer in the long term. Indeed, a questionnaire is proposed to detect the risk of each of suffering from certain cancers.
“This simple tool will assess your risk of having inherited a genetic alteration (also known as a mutation, variant, or defect) that could increase your risk of developing certain cancers, then compare it to current National Health Service guidelines for genetic testing. It is suitable for both men and women”can we read on the online platform.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations often associated with cancer
More specifically, the site is looking in particular for the potential presence of a BRCA1 mutation which could increase the risk of breast or ovarian cancer, but also the presence of the BRCA2 mutation, associated with breast, ovarian and of the prostate.
“This tool does not assess your risk of having inherited all possible genetic alterations that may impact your health; it assesses referral criteria for BRCA1, BRCA2 and Lynch syndrome (hereditary colorectal cancer without polyposis – includes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 and EPCAM)”explains the site. Before adding: “If you are concerned about other hereditary health risks in your family, please speak to your GP.”
