[Prospective study of families on a genetic cancer registry].

The Familial Cancer Register, Moscow, established in 1990, has a record of pedigrees of 6,000 cancer patients. The records on the probands and families have been studied since 1995. The paper presents the data of a repeat survey of the families conducted in 1990-1995. Only 794 out of 3,000 families, included in the first survey, responded. Relapse was reported in 135 probands and/or relatives from 108 families. The following subgroups were identified depending on the rates of cancer morbidity in familial histories (the criteria are presented): 1) no incidence; 2) few cases; (3) more cases, and (4) all family members have cancer. New tumors were detected in one-third of such families. A direct correlation was found between the morbidity rates and neoplasia incidence. In 12 families of group 3, originally, not all the members had tumors.