Based on a survey, researchers are suggesting that doctors might need to ask women patients specifically about the paternal history of breast cancer in their family because some women do not appear to know that both sides of the family tree are equally important -- or are simply underreporting that information. When 800 women were asked about a family history for breast cancer, more women reported the mother's family history for the disease, less for the father's family history for the disease.

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers speculate part of the reason for the lack of paternal history being reported is that men in a family are less likely to be told of a woman relative who has been diagnosed with breast cancer and therefore be unable to share the family history accurately.


In regard to this study, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine stated, "family history of breast cancer is a risk factor for the disease, so any underreporting could have serious consequences for the accuracy of screening for breast cancer."

This is our informal poll to see if we get different results than the survery did. Do you know both sides of your family history for breast cancer and do you report information about both sides as equally relevant? If you are a woman, when asked about family history for breast cancer, have you been asked about the history for both sides of your family?