You may have inherited your dad’s eye colour or nose shape or your mum’s curly hair. These are tangibles you can clearly see. However, your DNA may also hold the secret to inherited – and invisible – health concerns.

This is why it’s so important to know about your family history. Being aware of the types of conditions that have affected your parents’ or grandparents’ health may be a big help in sorting out your own personal health plan, by realising the risks you face and keeping an eye out for symptoms.

Q: I’m 30 years old and my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 60. Am I at an increased risk?

A: If this is the only case of breast cancer in your family tree, it puts you in the same bracket as 95 per cent of the population. You have a one in 11 chance of developing breast cancer before you turn 75.

However, it’s recommended that all women should be aware of how their breasts normally look and feel, and report any change to their family doctor. Once you reach 50 you should also have routine breast screening by mammogram, unless you’ve been directed to begin earlier.

For more information on breast and ovarian cancer, visit www.nbocc.org.au

Q: My dad is 45 and his father and uncle both had prostate cancer. What’s my father’s risk?

A: One in 11 men will suffer prostate cancer before the age of 70. And age is the greatest risk factor for prostate cancer. Your dad’s family history increases his risk to a 50/50 chance and, even though he’s under 50, he’d be well advised to see his GP for a digital rectal examination (DRE) and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test as soon as possible. 

For more information on prostate cancer awareness, visit www.prostate.org.au

Q: My father suffered Alzheimer’s disease from the age of 85. Does this put me at greater risk?

A: Your risk is the same as all people in the community. A very small percentage of the population develop Familial Alzheimer’s, which is caused by a change in a vital gene, and these people may suffer the condition in their 40s and 50s. However, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia – and the greatest risk factor of all is age.

For more information, call 1800 100 500 or visit www.alzheimers.org.au

 


Q: I’m in my teens and my mother has been diagnosed with bipolar depression. Are my brother and I at a heightened risk of getting the condition?

A: Bipolar disorder is a condition that’s associated with extreme mood swings. One moment a person may feel very happy and then fall to a paralysing depressive state. About one in 50 people suffer it, and it’s evenly divided between men and women. Bipolar does tend to run in families, with the risk increasing by eight per cent if there’s a history of it. But it’s extremely important to realise that a range of factors influence both depression and bipolar, and make the mood swings more severe.

Genetic predisposition can be challenged by your lifestyle. If it remains untreated or you excessively drink alcohol or take recreational drugs, then your risk increases. If you have a healthy lifestyle, with extensive social support networks and develop solid, reliable friendships, your risk will decrease. The more balanced you are in life, the better.

For information on depression, visit ww.blackdoginstitute.org.au

Q: My teenage brother has developed Type 1 or juvenile diabetes. Could I end up getting it as well?

A: This type of diabetes is not related to your lifestyle but occurs when the body’s defence system descends into chaos and starts attacking the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The risk in the wider community of this happening is one in 300 – but in this isolated case your risk has increased to one in 14. If you and your brother were identical twins, the risk would rise further to about one in three. Get tested every two years, including a fasting blood sample for glucose.

For more information on the diagnosis and treatment of both types of diabetes, visit www.diabetesaustralia.com.au

Q: I’m 48 and have been diagnosed with bowel cancer. I have three children – has their risk increased?

A: Yes. Colon or bowel cancer is the second most common cancer in Australia, affecting one in 22 adults at some stage of their life. But it’s a preventable disease as it mostly begins on outgrowths, called polyps, in the lining of the bowel and usually grows quite slowly. If the polyps can be identified early on and removed, the risk of developing cancer goes with them. Your children should be screened for polyps using a colonoscopy from the age of 40 because of the increased risk.

For more information, visit www.getscreened.com.au

ASK DR JOHN FOR ADVICE
Write to What’s Up Doc?, New Idea, Private Bag 9960, North Sydney, NSW 2059, or email newidea@pacificmags.com.au. This advice is general, without the benefit of a consultation. Always consult a doctor or healthcare professional. Listen to Dr John’s Health Matters on Sundays from 7am to 8am - visit www.theradio.com.au to find your local station.

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