[Lung cancer and family history of cancer].

There are many studies supporting the family history in lung cancer. The study included 213 subjects with new and former diagnoses of lung cancer. Patients were enrolled from the Department of Chest Diseases Ankara University Faculty of Medicine and Atatürk Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital between January-June 2005. For the control group, 200 healthy subjects were gathered. We aimed to investigate the family predisposition for lung and other cancers, additionally the relationship of this predisposition to age, gender, smoking habits and cell types. The number of first degree relatives of patients and control group were 2058 and 2045, respectively. In conclusion, positive family history for cancer estimated in 38% of 213 individuals with lung cancer. In these individuals, 41.9% had lung cancer, 19% had gastrointestinal system cancer, 7.6% had breast cancer, 5.7% had prostate cancer, 25.7% had other system cancers (larinx, skin, bone, hematologic system, central nervous system). Besides, 4.6% of 213 patients had accompanying other system cancers (urinary bladder, kidney, lung, head-neck). In control group, positive family history for the cancer was 21.5% and this was statistically significant (p< 0.001). In the family members of patients with lung cancer, the risks of lung, gastrointestinal system and breast cancer development were increased. Besides, the lung and other system cancers (except prostate and gastrointestinal system cancers) were significantly increased at the brothers of patients with lung cancer, supporting the genetical transition hypothesis. The presence of head-neck, bladder, prostate, lung and kidney cancers in the history of the patients increase the risk of lung cancer, supporting the genetic transition.