[[{"@type":["BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/extra-precautions-to-take-if-there-is-a-family-history-of-cancer\/#BlogPosting","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","kg":"http:\/\/g.co\/kg"},"url":["https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/extra-precautions-to-take-if-there-is-a-family-history-of-cancer\/","https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/extra-precautions-to-take-if-there-is-a-family-history-of-cancer\/"],"publisher":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],"author":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/extra-precautions-to-take-if-there-is-a-family-history-of-cancer\/#BlogPosting_author_Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/extra-precautions-to-take-if-there-is-a-family-history-of-cancer\/#BlogPosting_image_ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Family-Eating-Dinner.jpg"}],"headline":"Family History of Cancer? Consider These Precautions","dateModified":"2021-11-11T12:06:33+00:00","datePublished":"2020-02-11T10:25:59+00:00","description":"Do you have a family history of cancer? If so, there are precautions you can take to lessen your risk. Visit the Regional Cancer Care Associates blog to get advice from the experts.","articleBody":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 11, 2020\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\nA family history of cancer can be intimidating, because it means your risk of getting the disease may be higher compared to those with no family history of cancer. Understanding your risk, however, allows you to take extra precautions to protect you and your family\u2019s health. When you\u2019re armed with the right knowledge and preventative steps, you can enjoy greater peace of mind. As a patient at Regional Cancer Care Associates, you get the opportunity to explore your risk factors and learn ways to lower your genetic cancer risk.\nUnderstand Your Family Health History\nThe first step is to make sure that you fully understand your family\u2019s cancer health history and how it affects you. Talk to your doctor about which of your family members have had cancer, what type they had, and when they were diagnosed. If any of the following apply, it\u2019s possible that the cancer could be genetically linked:\nA first-degree relative (parent, sibling, child) was diagnosedTwo or more other relatives (grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc.) were diagnosedThe diagnosis was made at a younger-than-average ageThe cancer has known genetic factorsThe cancer is common for people of your race\nUndergo Genetic Testing\nOnce it\u2019s established that there\u2019s a high likelihood the cancer in your family is hereditary, you can go for genetic counseling and testing at RCCA. During a genetic test, a sample of your saliva or blood will be taken, and then your DNA will be analyzed. Some people choose to take this extra precaution because it will reveal whether they possess the gene mutations associated with increased risk, but just because a relative has the mutation doesn\u2019t mean it was passed down. Genetic testing will confirm whether it has.\nGet Screened and Tested More Frequently\nDoctors recommend that people with a family history of cancer go for earlier and more frequent screenings. For example, most men don\u2019t get their first colonoscopy until about age 50. But if you have a family history of colon cancer, it may be best to have a colonoscopy done sooner. The earlier cancer is detected, the better.\nMake Healthy Lifestyle Changes\nDepending on your family\u2019s cancer history, some lifestyle changes may reduce your risk. For example, your doctor may recommend you quit smoking or maintain a healthy weight. Exercising regularly, reducing your alcohol consumption, and altering your diet also may be advised.\nGet Preventative Surgery\nIn some cases, there are medical and surgical precautions you can take, as well. A woman who has a family history of breast cancer may elect to have a preventative mastectomy to eliminate the possibility of getting breast cancer herself. Other types of preventative surgery options, as well as certain medications, may help reduce your particular risk. Talk to your doctor at RCCA about the best options for you.\nFind Out More\nEvery family is different, so it\u2019s important to get individualized advice from experts you can trust. Regional Cancer Care Associates offers some of the top cancer treatments and genetic testing options available, giving people with a family history of cancer added peace of mind. Schedule an appointment at any of our Connecticut, Maryland, or New Jersey locations to learn more about reducing your personal risk.\nwe are here for you\nFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call (844) 301-4158. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.\nRELATED ARTICLES\nRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\n\u00a9 2022 Regional Cancer Care Associates. All rights reserved.","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/extra-precautions-to-take-if-there-is-a-family-history-of-cancer\/"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"LocalBusiness","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Corporate Office 25 Main Street, Suite 601","postalCode":"07601","addressRegion":"NJ","addressLocality":"Hackensack","addressCountry":"USA","name":"Postal Address","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/#PostalAddress"},"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"1024","height":"468","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"contactPoint":[{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Corporate Office Regional Cancer Care Associates 25 Main Street, Suite 601 Hackensack, NJ 07601 info@regionalcancercare.org Phone: (844) 346-7222","name":"Contact Corporate Office","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#CorporateOffice"},{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (201) 510-0922","email":"msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Media Inquiries: Mary Lou Salvemini Regional Cancer Care Associates Phone: (201) 510-0922 Email: msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","name":"Contact Media Inquiries","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#MediaInquiries"}],"areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey"],"additionalType":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Treatment_of_cancer","alternateName":"RCCA","description":"Leaders in Advanced Compassionate Cancer Care. Fight cancer with leading-edge treatments, experienced skill and local caring\/convenience from one of the nation's largest networks of cancer specialists.","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/rgnlcancercare","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/regionalcancercareassoc","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/10059183","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCFlVzU4UvZcyXBCe9ZSvAUQ"],"telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Family History of Cancer? 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