Experts explain many young cancer cases, 30-40 years old have contracted the disease

(Dan Tri) - People carrying genetic mutations passed from parents to children are at risk of developing cancer at an earlier age than those who do not carry the gene.

Is cancer hereditary?

On June 14, at the Genetic Cancer Conference organized by Bach Mai Hospital, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Tuan Tung - Deputy Director of the Hospital - said that genetic cancer is a type of cancer directly related to genetic changes, accounting for 5-15% of all cancers.

Associate Professor Tung said that hereditary cancer accounts for 5-15% of all cancers (Photo: The Anh).

These mutations often affect genes that control cell division and DNA repair, leading to uncontrolled cell growth and tumor formation.

Common hereditary cancers include breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, etc.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Cam Phuong - Director of the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi ) - some types of cancer such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer have been proven to be related to gene mutations such as BRCA1, BRCA2.

People who carry these genetic mutations, passed from parents to children… have a higher risk of developing cancer at an earlier age than those who do not carry the gene.

Delegates attending the "Cancer Genetics" Conference (Photo: The Anh).

Associate Professor Phuong cited cases of breast cancer and lung cancer in young people. As with breast cancer, it is common in women over 60 years old, but if the person carries a genetic mutation, they will get the disease earlier. There are cases of breast cancer in the 30-40 age group where tests show that they carry a gene mutation.

"According to statistics, 5-15% of breast cancer patients and about 20% of ovarian cancer patients have genetic factors," Associate Professor Phuong said.

Or like with lung cancer, we still think it is only related to environmental factors such as smoking, living in a smoky, toxic environment, but today studies show that if a family has a history of lung cancer, the rate of their relatives getting lung cancer is also higher than in families without anyone having the disease.

Detecting genetic mutations, responding early to cancer risks

Associate Professor Phuong said that at Bach Mai Hospital, genetic counseling has been implemented in recent years. Through genetic counseling, patients can change their lifestyle, apply early screening strategies to detect cancer at an early stage, increase the chance of effective treatment, and prolong healthy life.

"Today, with the advancement of modern, advanced diagnostic methods such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis, disease diagnosis at the genetic level, molecular biology combined with treatment methods such as targeted drugs, immunotherapy... have prolonged life expectancy and improved quality of life for patients," Associate Professor Tung informed.

According to the Director of the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology, for people with a family history of cancer, family members need to be screened and closely monitored for their health periodically.

For patients with inherited gene mutations, targeted therapies can be applied. Using personalized therapy based on gene mutations can help reduce the risk of recurrence and metastasis in the early stages, as well as improve the effectiveness of treatment in the late stages.

As with breast cancer patients carrying mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes - two genes responsible for repairing DNA in the body - when these genes are faulty, the risk of breast and ovarian cancer increases significantly.

The study results showed that after 10 years, the group of breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations had a disease-free survival rate of only about 62.8%, much lower than the group without mutations (80%). In particular, they had a 5 times higher risk of cancer recurrence in the remaining breast.

"People with breast cancer should be tested for the BRCA gene so that treatment regimens can be adjusted more appropriately, thereby improving effectiveness," Associate Professor Phuong recommended.

At Bach Mai Hospital, genetic counseling services are being systematically implemented according to the “4 rights” principle: right patient, right reason, right type of test and right explanation of results. This not only brings medical benefits but also psychological support and disease prevention plans for family members with risk factors.

The scientific conference “Cancer Genetics” has the participation of leading domestic and international experts, with 14 reports by experts on specialized fields such as cancer genetic counseling, application of new methods for diagnosis, prognosis and selection of the most advanced targeted treatments in cancer today.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/chuyen-gia-ly-gia-nhieu-ca-ung-thu-tre-30-40-tuoi-da-mac-benh-20250614154139609.htm