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Special recognition promoting September 25, 2022 to October 1, 2022, as National Hereditary Cancer Week.
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SPECIAL RECOGNITION
WHEREAS, it is believed about 5 to 10 percent of cancers are hereditary and hereditary genetics can show a predisposition for various cancers, including breast cancer and ovarian cancer; and
WHEREAS, women with the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 mutations have a 65 percent chance of developing breast cancer and a 60 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer in their lifetime; and
WHEREAS, the single greatest ovarian cancer risk factor is a family history of the disease; and
WHEREAS, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women, age 35 to 54; and
WHEREAS, as many as 90% of those with a genetic mutation that predisposes them to cancer are unaware, leaving millions of people at risk; and
WHEREAS, hereditary cancers are often more aggressive than other cancers, and occur at a younger age, when people are less likely to undergo cancer screening; and
WHEREAS, individuals with a hereditary risk for cancer require different cancer screening and risk management recommendations than the general population; and
WHEREAS, African Americans and Hispanic Americans are less likely to have access to hereditary cancer information, counseling and appropriate healthcare; and
WHEREAS, according to the National Cancer Institute, the features of a person's personal or family medical history that may suggest a hereditary cancer syndrome include: Cancer was diagnosed at an unusually young age, family members with breast or ovarian cancer, family members with colon cancer and endometrial cancer, or being a member of a racial or ethnic group that is known to have an increased risk of having a certain inherited cancer susceptibility syndrome, such as those of Ashkenazi Jewish descent; and
WHEREAS, raising awareness of hereditary cancer and knowledge of a genetic predisposition can directly lead to preventive strategies that can reduc...
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