Cancer Doctors to Seek Shorter Family History

Cancer doctors should ask about patients’ family medical history. But two generations are enough, new guidelines say. The American Society of Clinical Oncology released the guidelines. They say that doctors should ask about cancer among patients’ first- and second-degree relatives. But going back three generations — the old advice — is not necessary. A panel of experts based the changes on a review of evidence. They decided that information about more distant relatives is less likely to be correct. First-degree relatives include parents, children, brothers and sisters. Second-degree relatives include grandparents, aunts and uncles. Nieces, nephews, grandchildren and half-siblings also are considered second-degree. Doctors should ask the relative’s type of cancer, age when diagnosed and race or ethnic group, the guidelines say.