One family’s generational battle with cancer is studied by researchers

Faulty genes linked to breast and ovarian cancer (known as BRCA1 and BRCA2) are relatively rare, occurring in just 1 in 1,000 people, But for people with a family history of the disease, knowing whether they inherited those genetic mutations can be crucial.

Today, high-risk women can take a blood test to determine whether they carry the mutations. Nicki Durlester has experienced the uncertainty about cancer her whole life. The Los Angeles woman grew up in Pennsylvania with a family so prone to cancer that members have been studied by the National Institutes of Health since the late 1970s. The study and her story are profiled in “A family legacy” in the Allentown Morning Call.

In an online guide, “Heredity and Cancer,” the American Cancer Society explains what you should look for if you suspect cancer may run in your family. Read more stories and news about breast cancer at HealthKey.

--Mary Forgione / For the Los Angeles Times