Frecuencia de enfermedades neoplásicas en familiares de pacientes con cáncer Frequency of neoplastic diseases in relatives in patients diagnosed with cancer

We have conducted a case control study in the Hospital General San Felipe during the months of May to June, 2004. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of neoplastic diseases in relatives of patients diagnosed with cancer. METHODS: 220 cases were studied, 119 clinically diagnosed with cancer and 101 without evidence of cancer. Of the first group 17 were discarded because they lack pathological report in the clinical file. RESULTS: 46 out 102 cases with cancer had a positive family history, a total of 83 relatives suffer or had suffered any type of neoplastic diseases since some patients had more than one relative affected. In the other hand 25 out 101 cases without evidence of cancer had positive family history of neoplastic diseases, 35 relatives were affected. From the cancer group there were 18 cases of relatives in first degree of consanguinity affected, and only 3 first degree consanguinity relative in the control group affected. CONCLUSION: Patients diagnosed with cancer have higher frequency of neoplastic diseases in their families compared to patiens without any clinical or pathological evidence of cancer.