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David,
When family members get similar diseases, the question of heredity versus the environment versus coincidence is likely to come up.
Although the diseases aren't inherited, it's possible that certain people have genetics that leave them predisposed to (more vulnerable to) certain types of diseases, in ways that we don't understand. Even if it's not likely, we can't rule it out.
You will probably never know the answer for you and your brother. But it's only sensible for your sister to be vigilant (not panicked, just aware) because if it so happens that your family had some kind of environmental exposure or possibly a generic predisposition, then her risk level would be higher than the average person.
I know a family that had 3 family members with the same non-inheritable disease, without any known toxic exposures, so even that type of rare case is possible.
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Founder of Marrowforums and caregiver for my wife
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