Kate has cancer: Munich's chief doctor warns of genetic danger. One in ten cases of colon cancer occurs in a patient under the age of 50.
Around half a million people in Germany receive the shock diagnosis of cancer every year. 20 studies show: Hereditary predisposition is by far the biggest risk factor. If first-degree relatives - i.e. parents or siblings - have already had colorectal cancer, the personal risk is increased by more than four times. The German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) also points out.