Back to:
Referral pathways

Patients with a family history of other cancers

NHS Tayside RefGuide
NHS Tayside

Who to refer?

Patients who are likely to be at an increased risk may have:

  • A family history of a known single gene cancer syndrome (e.g. Von Hippel- Lindau syndrome, multiple endocrine neoplasia, retinoblastoma).
  • Or ‘related cancers’: there are some rare cancer syndromes (eg. Li Fraumeni syndrome and Cowden syndrome) where a variety of cancers occur within a family.
  • Or a family history of 2 or more cases of the same cancer in first or second degree relatives (eg. gastric cancer, prostate cancer, renal cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma).

Note: in any family where there is a suspicion of hereditary aetiology, we are happy to discuss these cases further.

Why refer?

The purpose of a referral is to assess the risk to the patient on the basis of their family history supplemented by molecular genetic investigations in the small proportion of families at highest risk.

Where to refer to?

There are clinics in Perth, Dundee and Arbroath, and these are usually run by Genetic Counsellors. The Genetics department is based at Ninewells Hospital.

 

Hereditary vs non hereditary cancer

Most cancers occur by chance, but some have a predominantly hereditary origin.

Clues that a cancer may be hereditary include:

  • More than one family member affected
  • Cancers from a ‘group’ caused by mutations in the same gene (e.g. breast and ovarian cancer, or colorectal and endometrial cancer)
  • A number of generations affected
  • More likely to be diagnosed at younger ages (<40).

 

Contact

Editorial Information

Next review date: 15/01/2026