[Familial breast cancer in Arabs]

500 surviving Arab cancer patients in follow-up were interviewed with regard to other cases of cancer in their families. Among 73 who had breast cancer, in 15 (20.3%) there was another case of breast cancer among first-degree relatives. The incidence of both primary and familial breast cancer was higher among Christian than among Moslem women. We conclude that Arab women with breast cancer in their families are at high risk for developing breast cancer themselves.