There are many features of an individual’s personal and/or family cancer history that may warrant evaluation by the Family Risk Assessment Program (FRAP). Some patients are referred to FRAP by a healthcare provider, while others are self-referred. The list below highlights the most common reasons for evaluation.
Thinking about personal and family history the main cancers to focus on are: breast, ovarian, colorectal, uterine, pancreatic, prostate, stomach, melanoma, thyroid, and kidney. However, the FRAP team does see patients with concerns about other cancers as well. Think about yourself, your children, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.
Common “Red Flags” for referral
Personal or family history of:
Cancer diagnosed under the age of 50
At least two relatives on one side of the family with the same cancer
Cancer in at least three generations on the same side of the family
Multiple types of cancer in one individual
Cancer on both sides of the body in organs that come in pairs (such as breast or kidney)
Breast and/or ovarian cancer in a family with Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish ancestry
Ovarian cancer at any age
Male breast cancer at any age
Triple negative breast cancer at age 60 or younger
Known gene mutation associated with increased risk for cancer
Significant combinations of cancers in an individual or family:
Breast and ovarian
Colorectal, uterine, and/or ovarian
Multiple gastrointestinal cancers (such as colon, rectal, stomach, and/or pancreatic)
Non-cancer “red flags”
More than ten colon polyps
Multiple non-cancerous breast biopsies
Personal history of atypical ductal hyperplasia, atypical lobular hyperplasia, or lobular carcinoma in situ
FRAP sees women, men, and families with indications for assessment other than those listed above. Anyone with questions about cancer that runs in the family, level of cancer risk, or cancer risk management is encouraged to contact FRAP.
