June is Men’s Health Awareness Month! This month is a good time to recognize that genetic counseling and testing, if appropriate, should be considered in the healthcare plan for men with a significant family history of cancers. Men with a personal or family history of cancers that occur at an young age, multiple cancers on one side of the family, cancers in multiple family members on both sides, Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, a close relative with cancer in more than one site or a known gene mutation in the family, are at greatest risk of having inherited a genetic predisposition to cancer.
Men are impacted by hereditary cancer syndromes, including the genetic mutation that causes breast cancer. Although the incidents of male breast cancer are much lower than in women, it is still an increased risk when the man has inherited the BRAC 1/2 gene mutation. This same BRAC 2 gene mutation increases a man’s risk of developing other cancers including prostate. Pancreatic, prostrate, melanoma, colon, breast and gastric are some cancers that can have an inherited genetic mutation (hereditary cancer syndrome). Knowledge that a man has an inherited genetic predisposition to cancer allows him to take a proactive approach to cancer prevention. Genetic counseling for men provides them with information to determine whether testing is appropriate for them. With or without testing, genetic counseling provides men, at increased risk for genetically inherited cancers, an individualized medical management plan.
Completing our Hereditary Cancer Quiz can give you a good idea whether you are at risk for hereditary cancers. If the quiz results indicate a significant risk, an appointment for genetic counseling will help you determine whether testing is appropriate for you. Men are not only at risk for developing hereditary cancers, but if they carry a mutated gene, it can be passed down to their children increasing their risk of developing those cancers.
A healthy man is an empowered man who takes charge of all aspects of his healthcare. Genetic counseling and potentially testing provide information to allow men full knowledge of their cancer risks and a personalized plan for mitigating their risks.
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