Bond of Brothers

Health history of your siblings may reveal your risk factors

Edited by: Erin Hobday

When you scan your family tree for disease, check who's on the branch beside you, too. Because siblings share both genetics and childhood lifestyle factors, their health histories can reveal common at-risk areas that can't be uncovered based on their parents' pasts alone, says Robin Bennett, M.S., C.G.C., a genetic counselor at the University of Washington medical center. Find out what your brother or sister has battled so you can begin taking evasive action.

The Condition And Your Relative Risk

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

If a sibling has COPD -- persistent airway obstruction -- your chances of following suit are five times greater.

Colon cancer

When colon cancer pops up in a sibling, your odds of producing a polyp double.

Type-2 diabetes

Your risk of developing type-2 diabetes goes up by 30 percent if one of your siblings has the disease.

Glaucoma

A brother or sister with glaucoma makes you 10 times more vulnerable to this blinding eye condition.

Heart disease

If a sibling has heart disease before age 55, plaque is twice as likely to take hold inside your arteries.

Hemochromatosis

A faulty gene on chromosome six causes this iron-overload disorder. Having a sibling with it boosts your own risk by 25 percent.

Prostate cancer

A brother with prostate cancer makes you three times more likely to develop a growth in your gland.

Varicoceles

Having a brother with varicoceles -- varicose veins in the scrotum -- raises your risk by 70 percent.