What You Need To Know About Hereditary Cancer

While most cases of cancer happen by chance due to a variety of factors, about 10% of the time, cancer is linked to a single change in a gene, or mutation, that has been passed down from generation to generation. This is referred to as hereditary cancer.

Families with hereditary cancer often have multiple family members affected with cancer, and certain cancers may be diagnosed at younger ages. A person who has an inherited a gene mutation associated with hereditary cancer will not necessarily get cancer but may be at a higher risk than those without a gene mutation.

The Myriad myRisk hereditary cancer panel can help determine if you carry a mutation that would put you at an increased risk for cancer.