Like sch said.
My mother had cancer on and off all her life and finally died of it when she was 65. I'd convinced myself, by age 60, that as I hadn't had cancer so far, I wasn't going to get it. I'd made it!
Then came a diagnosis of a small cancer in my saliva gland at then end of '21. Things crumbled for me and everything I'd told myself suddenly seemed like a big lie. It was all doom. As it turned out, the removal of the tiny cancer was straightforward, I was recovered in no time and on my way. Until a CT as part of the 18 month review.
On the CT they discovered an anomaly on my left lung which turned out to be lung cancer. The prognosis is good, I have good respiratory function, will be getting it removed (lobectomy) within the next few weeks I'd think, and should be back to close to my current state of fitness (with a lot of hard work and in time) post-op. I'm up for it! Thing is, unlike yourself, my mother had cancer, yes, but never in the two places that have been diagnosed with myself. So, has my run in with cancer got anything to do with my mother having cancer all her life? Possible. Possibly not.
Research I have been reading recently puts the influence of genetics at around 20% at the most. 80% of the cause they are now putting down to other factors (environment, lifestyle, etc.). So, the thinking on genetics has changed over time. You could think of it like this; if you have had cancer in the family, you have a propensity towards it and MIGHT, given the right combination of factors beyond just genetics, get cancer.
A lot of people overlook the factors other than genetics, despite the statistics. If you've had cancer in the family and you live a very stressful lifestyle, eat poorly, and breathe in a lot of polluted air, then hey, guess what, cancer! Or not. If you have heart issues on the other side of the family, heart problems might be just as possible I'm guessing.
What I'm saying is that you perhaps shouldn't jump to conclusions about why you have cancer in the same spot as your relation. At the end of the day, you are here now and it doesn't matter. You need to get positive and use your energy on the job at hand rather than spending time wondering.
Ask your doc what they think about the link with genetics and what they think about it generally. I doubt they'll have any conclusive answer because, when it comes to cancer, there isn't a definitive one. Since being diagnosed with lung cancer I've seen survivors who have never smoked and never had any history of cancer in the family. Go figure.
Stay positive, try and stay calm, ask lots of questions, listen carefully to what the medicos are telling you (as this may prevent your mind going to dark places it needn't) and don't forget to breathe. I wish you all the best with it. 😉
