Christmas may be all about family, but for Mary Shelby of Chattanooga it’s a strong reminder of the hardships her family has endured starting with her family’s long struggle with cancer when she was only 8 years old.
It was Christmas day when Shelby’s mom was taken to the hospital so many Christmas’ ago. After a few weeks of testing the results were in—her mother had colon cancer. With little cancer treatments back then, all the hospital do in light of the diagnosis was to send her mother home. Over the decades the cancer returned time and time again, eventually claiming Kathy Shelby’s mother life at Christmas last year.
This Christmas there are many similarities to the previous years of cancer at Christmas, with her son now being diagnosed with cancer. While this may seem like a cruel and coincidental event, for Shelby’s family the diagnosis has become far too common.
Shelby’s family tree is steeped in cancer diagnoses. It is estimated that there are more than thirty instances of cancer on her mother’s side of the family. Family members still continue to keep in contact with one another, sharing family health history, to try and identify a genetic link.
It is estimated that up to 10 percent of all cancers are inherited. These inherited genes are mutated, and are susceptible to environmental factors can trigger the gene to develop into cancer. In Shelby’s case her family is susceptible to the development of colon cancer and associated cancers. Her family doctor suggested that a genetics expert evaluate her family in an attempt to pinpoint the genetic precondition leading to the development of the abundance of cancer in her family.
Shelby underwent genetic testing and the results were shocking. Shelby was found to have a rare condition known as Lynch Syndrome. The syndrome is related to high instances of colon cancers in its carriers. Lynch syndrome can also be linked to numerous other cancers such as breast and ovarian.
The importance of the finding can mean early testing, screening and diagnosis for other members of the Shelby family. Lynch syndrome has a 50 percent chance of being passed down to other family members, meaning that the high number of cancers on Shelby’s mother’s side of the family was likely attributed to Lynch syndrome. Lynch syndrome is believed to be responsible for about 3 percent of all colon related cancers in the U.S.
While the news of the genetic predisposition to cancer may be semi-sweet, Shelby is seeing it as a chance to spread the word of the genetic testing to other families in similar circumstances, while giving her family the opportunity to fight the cancer early and hopefully celebrate more Christmas’ cancer free.
Individuals interested in learning more about genetic testing are encouraged to speak with their primary care doctor to discuss the potential of being tested. Before consulting with a doctor, assembling a family health tree is also advisable.
