Follow the Eve Appeal during #GynaeCancerAwarenessMonth
The following is from The Eve Appeal.
Our YouGov survey found that although nearly 3 in 4 people would be willing to take up genetic testing if they were eligible, yet there is wide-spread misunderstanding of what cancers may be hereditary.
Nearly 1 in 4 people wrongly believe that all cancers are hereditary. Only 1 in 10 people are aware that womb cancer can carry an inherited increased risk, and only 1 in 5 are aware that ovarian cancer can also carry a hereditary risk.
Cancer cannot be passed down the family or inherited, but you can inherit an increased risk of certain cancers through changes (which can be called alterations or mutations) in genes. There are some known gene alterations that increase the risk of certain cancers, with the most common being BRCA gene alterations and Lynch syndrome. BRCA alterations increase the risk of breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer. Lynch syndrome increases the risk of bowel, womb and ovarian cancer.
We are raising awareness of inherited risks so that more people can identify any increased risks in their family histories, increase their awareness of signs, symptoms and risk factors, and access genetic testing if they are eligible.
You can read more in our blog: https://bit.ly/4g62QiH
Take the opportunity of Gynae Cancer Awareness Month to learn a little more about your body and visit The Eve Appeal website.
