Heredity and Prostatic Cancer: Major Study to Begin

Do you have a close relative who also has prostatic cancer - a brother, father, grandfather, or uncle? Little is known about the heredity of prostatic cancer, and up to now it has been very difficult to study We do know that roughly 9 or 10 percent of men will develop prostatic cancer. With a disease this common, one would expect to have a relative with the same condition.

However, it has not been uncommon for patients to tell me that their brother, father and uncle have the disease. We also have identical twins with the disease. With this information in mind, we are planning to embark upon a major study of this condition. If you have a family history of prostatic cancer, please let us know. The results of this study will be pertinent for those of you who have sons and grandsons.