Everyone is at risk of cancer at one time or another in their lifetime. Some people are "born" with a greater chance of developing cancer than others, most likely because they have inherited the cancer gene from their families......

Last year, Xiaomei (pseudonym), a 45-year-old mother in Hangzhou, always felt discomfort in her throat, had an obvious foreign body sensation when swallowing, and even her voice became hoarse. At first, she thought it was just ordinary laryngitis and didn't pay much attention to it. However, as the months passed, the symptoms showed no signs of getting better. Under the repeated urging of her daughter, Xiaomei went to the First People's Hospital of Hangzhou for examination, and the result was like a bolt from the blue - medullary thyroid cancer!

Source: Original comics from the hospital

Four people were diagnosed with the same type of cancer one after another

After the operation, Peng You, deputy chief physician of the Department of Thyroid Oncology Surgery, reminded Xiaomei that this cancer is very likely to be related to family genetics, and other family members should also be careful. She couldn't help but recall that her father and uncle had both died of "thyroid disease", but the medical conditions were limited at that time, and the specific cause had not been clarified. Could it be that this is really a "curse" hanging over the family?

Thinking of the possible genetic risks in the family, Xiaomei was anxious and hurriedly dragged her 16-year-old daughter to the hospital, eager to know the results of her baby daughter's examination. Sure enough, after a series of physical examinations, blood tests, imaging tests and genetic tests, my daughter was also diagnosed with the same "medullary thyroid cancer".

Thankfully, my daughter's illness is in its early stages, which also means there is greater hope for a cure!

Soon, Peng You also operated on Xiaomei's daughter, and the operation was very successful. After the operation, under the careful guidance of the doctor, the body gradually recovered after active rehabilitation treatment.

Why did the family get cancer one after another?

RET gene is a proto-oncogene that plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of medullary thyroid cancer. 25% of medullary thyroid cancers have a certain genetic predisposition, and if someone in the family has medullary thyroid cancer, they are born with a mutation in the RET gene, which can be passed down from generation to generation in the family, so that the risk of cancer in family members is greatly increased.

When the RET gene is mutated, it causes the growth and differentiation of cells to be unregulated, increasing the risk of medullary thyroid cancer. Therefore, for people with a family history of medullary thyroid cancer, regular RET gene testing is recommended to achieve early screening and prevention. Xiaomei's family of four suffered from cancer one after another, which further proves that the family has obvious hereditary medullary thyroid cancer.

Source: Original comics from the hospital

这种癌九成以上不用慌

Peng You explained that most patients with thyroid disease do not need to be anxious, most thyroid nodules are benign, and only a small percentage will develop into thyroid cancer, so most patients do not need to panic. Even medullary thyroid cancer is uncommon in thyroid cancer, accounting for only 89% to 0% of all thyroid cancer cases. But 0% of medullary thyroid cancers are hereditary, carrying mutations in the RET gene at birth. This mutation can be passed down from generation to generation in families, making family members much more at risk of developing MTC. If you are unfortunate enough to have medullary thyroid cancer, the five-year survival rate is 0%, and the overall prognosis is very good, and the cure rate is very high. Therefore, whether it is nodules or cancer, we must respect science and facts, and do not scare ourselves.

(Source: Chao News Client)

[Source: Great Wall Network]