National Hereditary Cancer Week 2021

National Hereditary Cancer Week is an opportunity to shine the light on hereditary cancer, impart knowledge and save lives. Let’s join together to make a difference! National Previvor* Day is September 29th.

The timing—the transition between National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (September) and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October)—demonstrates the link between these two cancers. It is estimated that up to 25% of ovarian cancers are due to hereditary factors and approximately 10% of breast cancers are hereditary. FORCE is proud to have spearheaded this initiative to bring attention to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndromes and to recognize their impact on the families affected.

- FORCE-Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered

* Cancer previvors are individuals who have a predisposition to cancer but who haven’t yet had the disease. This group includes people who carry a proven inherited mutation, have a family history of cancer that defines them as high risk, or have another predisposing factor. The term specifically applies to the portion of our community that has its own unique needs and concerns separate from the general population, but is different from those already diagnosed with cancer. A previvor is a person who has an increased risk of being diagnosed with cancer due to a family history of cancer. – HBOC Society

Resources:

• Family Cancer Syndromes (ACS)  www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/genetics/family-cancer-syndromes.html
• FORCE https://www.facingourrisk.org/
• Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/diseases-by-category/28/hereditary-cancer-syndromes
• Hereditary Cancer Syndromes (UTSW) https://utswmed.org/conditions-treatments/genetics-and-hereditary-cancers/hereditary-cancer-syndromes/