Did you know that there is one guy responsible for the world's colon cancer problem? Okay, that's not actually true. But new information has been found which links a significant percentage of colon cancer cases to a common ancestor. This means that if you trace your family tree back and find this guy on one of those top branches, your likelihood of getting colon cancer is increased.
The research took a look at two large U.S. families and their history of colon cancer. They traced those families back to a common ancestor who is believed to have come over to the United States during the Pilgrim period. The suggestion is that being able to date the cancer back this far indicates that there is likely to be a significant spread of it among many families.
As with all types of colon cancer, knowledge is power. Colorectal cancer screening can assist you in catching the disease in its early stages and preventing devastation caused by its development. Discussing family history, particularly as it relates to cancer, is an important part of the process of discovering your risk levels.
Question of the Day: How far back have you traced your own family tree?
