please read

[bronte]

my dad died at 54 with lung cancer my mum died at 68 with cancer but the primary was unknown does that mean that im going to get cancer x

[nomorepanic]

Sorry to hear this but no it doesn't.

As far as I know cancer isn't hereditary unlike things like heart problems.

[bronte]

thankyou nicola i wish i could think positively but its so hard x

[macc noodle]

Bronte,

What a dreadful thing to experience - the loss of both parents is awful.

Lung Cancer as far as I know has no hereditary disposition and primary cause is heavy smoking.

Unless your mother died of a cancer such as breast/ovarian and you carry the BRAC gene which gives it its inherited characteristic, again it is not likely.

You could tell your GP your fears re: inherited tendencies and ask if they would test for the rogue gene to see if you have it and then it would put your mind at rest.

[bronte]

hi they never found out where my mums started the first thing we knew was a lump above her collar bone she was fit and well they said this was a secondary cancer and the primary one had died and gone but it had already done the damage and spread but they said it was either pancreas or ovarian i think they thought this is because them to cancers show the least symptoms till its to late because she had no other symptoms but we have looked into hereditary factors because my auntie had breast cancer in her 60s but the specialist says they is no connection and no strong family links to say its hereditary she put both down to age related even if mum did have ovarian cancer it was very unlikely to be down to genes .But what i worry about is if both mum and dad both had cancer does that mean we have a weakness in our immunity that means we are more likely to get it
jayne x

[Magic]

Hi Bronte,
My dad had leukemia,so I know the signs for that.
My mum had blocked arteries of the heart.I have inherited that.
I was lucky to have an operation to clear three out of four arteries that were blocked.
Keep checking for lumps,and keep up with smear tests and mamagrams,
If you feel any thing untoward----please see you gp.
My hubby bless him has lumps on his arms,neck stomach that are very noticable
but they are all benign.
Also macc noodle said it all
Take Care Bronte. Look after yourself xx

[bronte]

well ive inherited high blood pressure off my dad and mum high cholesterol off my mum and i also have type 2 diabetes but none of that bothers me its cancer that bothers me
jayne x

[countrygirl]

Try and remember that we may inherit a tendency to whatever but it is usually lifestyle and enviromental factors and just plain bad luck that means we get cancer or whatever. for example it is known that about half the population or something has the genetic tendency to get lung cancer but it needs something else such as being a smoker to trigger it, which explains why someone can smoke 100 a day until old age and never get cancer as they don't have the iffy gene and why someone else only smokes 10 a day and gets lung cancer at 50. I assume you do not smoke??

The best thing you can do is to be as healthy in your diet and lifestyle as you can be so no smoking etc, that all you can do.

My daugher in laws mother had no one in her family have cancer she was slim fit and never drank or smoked and yet she died of lymphoma at 53.
?????? No reason other than thats life - so go out and enjoy yourself and everyone close to you.

[bronte]

thanks countrygirl your right i dont smoke and never have but i do like a drink sometimes too much it just depends how i am anxiety wise that is my only sin but it helps me relax
jayne x

[bronte]

what would reassure me a little was if they knew someone who had any experience or knew of someone whos parent both died of cancer . But they didnt get cancer themselves i know im asking alot but it would help reassure me
thanks jayne x

[countrygirl]

Jayne I really really hate to say this but none of us know what will happen and there is no way of finding out or preventing whatever is in store for us.

It is perfectly possible for someone with both parents to die of cancer, to live long and die of something else just as it is, like my daughter in laws mother, possible to have no one in the family in living memory to have had cancer and then die young of it herself.

You can never ever have the reassurance you are after , I am not trying to be horrible here honest but just pointing out that no one can help you really because no one knows what is going to happen to them.

Please try and live for the moment enjoying it as much as possible ( yes I now a near impossibility for anyone with ha).

[bronte]

im sorry its just hard sometimes to think rationaly well most of the time for me. I just feel like im a walking time bomb most of the time x

[kibbutz83]

Hi, I just wanted to add that most of us on here feel like walking time-bombs :( Join the party!

[Gemma T]

The funny thing Jane is that the vast majority of us will die of something none of us considered. Life is random, its hard but its good. Its worth it x x x

[bronte]

thanks i know your all right its just frightening when you see your mum and dad who i idolised shrink to skin and bone and theres absolutely nothing you are anyone can do for them and i know its scarred me for life

[Gemma T]

I understand. Its horrible to watch the people you love fall away like that.

x x x

[bronte]

thanks gemma it is horrible and its something you never get over you just have to live with it dont you x