Health Alert: Family History of Prostate Cancer May Be Linked to Breast Cancer Risk.

A family history of prostate cancer may be tied to a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Researchers found that women whose father, brother, or son have had prostate cancer may have a 14% greater risk of developing breast cancer when compared with women whose male family members have not had prostate cancer. They also found that women with a family history of both prostate and breast cancer have a 78% greater risk of developing breast cancer when compared with women whose family histories have neither. The findings call attention to the need for women to know their complete family medical history, particularly cancer diagnosed among first-degree relatives, including fathers, brothers, and sons. Cancer, March 2015