Family History Of Breast Cancer Doesnt Mean Worse Outcomes

Women with breast cancer who have a family history of breast cancer do not have worse outcomes than women without a family history of breast cancer.

Women with close relatives who have been diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease.  However, a study found that young women with a family history of breast cancer who were diagnosed with the disease had the same outcomes as women who didn’t have a family history of the disease.

Researchers looked at the records of 2850 women age 40 or younger who were diagnosed in the UK from 2000 to 2008.

About 66% had no family history; and about 34% had a first-degree (mother, sister or daughter) or second-degree (aunt, niece or grandmother) relative who had been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer.

Women with a family history of breast cancer were more likely to be diagnosed with cancers that were grade 3 (cancer cells that look very different from healthy cells and grow quickly in disorganized, irregular patterns.)  They were less likely to be diagnosed with HER2-positive disease.

There were no differences in cancer recurrence between the two groups.  After five years of diagnosis both groups were cancer-free.

Patients with a family history of breast cancer can therefore be reassured that family history alone does not mean that their outcome will be worse.