What is hereditary cancer?

In families with several cases of cancer it is crucial to discover if the disease is hereditary. 

A hereditary cancer is one where it has been clearly identified that there is a genetic abnormality known to increase the susceptibility to one or more cancers. 

Like the genetic information that determines eye color or hair thickness, mutations that cause cancer can also be passed from parents to their children.

Individuals born with these mutations are called “carriers”, and they are at high risk of developing the disease. As result, carriers should be regularly checked for signs of cancer from a much younger age than the general population. 

Learn about the Learn about the implications of carrying hereditary mutations , and how these can be  transmitted from a generation to the next.