Is cancer genetic?

Question

I have had relatives die from cancer on both sides of my family,most recently my sister.She was only 42.

Answer 1

Some is genetic but probably less than you think. For instance, less than 10% of breast cancer is the familial kind. The rest happens randomly in the population.

There are some diseases that run in families that are associated with a higher risk of certain cancers... like neurofibromatosis, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, etc...

Environmental risk factors are still huge. If people stopped smoking, 85% of lung cancer would disappear and it would be a "rare tumor."

Aloha

Answer 2

There is some cancers that might have genetic predisposed for some in the family to have a high percentage or getting but that is not always the case. If you are concerned talk to your doctor better call the cancer society and they will send you info.
All mammals get cancer, it is just a cell that goes wacky and mutates. Humans get more diseases then animals that is the downside of being a human.
Today there are lots of test and lots of treatments. More information you have on the subject more it will put you to ease.

Answer 3

There seems to be quite a bit of misinformation out there. Yes cancer is always Genetic, but it is not always Hereditary.

Genetic means simply that the disease process involves the DNA or the genes that make up cells. Cancer is always genetic because it is a result of some error in the cell's DNA that causes these abnormal cells to grow and divide rapidly so that they become out of control.

Hereditary means something that can be passed from parents to their offsprings. Cancer is not always hereditary because the genetic error that occurs takes place in the somatic cells of the body, meaning cells that don't deal with reproduction. These errors usually occur over time as we get exposed to the environment (tobacco, radiation, etc), and are not in the genes we pass onto our children.

Certain cancers are hereditary including certain forms of breast, ovarian, colon cancer, etc. These would be evidenced from a pretty obvious family history of cancers. So, depending on the type of cancers in your family, there maybe a hereditary component. Even if there isn't a specific syndrome to tie your family history to, the fact that there are many cancers in your family members indicates some type of predisposition to cancer. Whether that is something genetic or something environmental is difficult to elucidate and may require further investigation.

Answer 4

Genetics can influence your chances of getting cancer. People whose close relatives have cancer are at a higher risk of getting cancer.

Yet genes are not the only variable, either. Habits such as smoking, drinking, along with your diet and activity habits, can also greatly influence your chances of getting cancer. Also, the length of time you are exposed to carcinogens and the amount you are exposed to has an effect.

Certain types of cancer can even be gotten from viruses, like the sexually transmitted HPV virus, a form of which can cause cervical cancer.

Genetics aren't everything, although they are an influence. Living a healthy lifestyle still counts for something too.

Answer 5

Some people can be genetically prone to cancer. There is no hard and fast rule that says they will definitely get it. There has been a lot of cancer in my family, particularly on the female line. But I am still here!

Answer 6

Fewer than 10% of all maximum cancers situations, all varieties, are hereditary. maximum cancers clinically determined after the age of 50 is even much less probably to be hereditary. you do no longer inherit a primary tendency to get maximum cancers and there is not any primary 'maximum cancers gene'. 2 kinfolk, unrelated to one yet another, having had maximum cancers does no longer boost you danger. an illustration that maximum cancers may be hereditary interior a kinfolk is whilst various members of the comparable fringe of that kinfolk have had the comparable sort of maximum cancers, fairly if some stepped forward it at a youthful than popular age. it relatively is no longer the case on your loved ones and there is not any reason to think which you're at better danger of any sort of maximum cancers. the two my parents had maximum cancers; so did 2 of my grandparents and my mom's sister, brother and nephew. No members of my instantaneous or nuclear kinfolk have ever been seen at better danger of any of the cancers that they had. Of my parents' 6 little ones, now elderly from late 40s to early 60s, in basic terms I even have had maximum cancers and mine too substitute into non-hereditary and unrelated to theirs. you have been given some particularly extreme incorrect information in some solutions right here. The 'recommendations' snoopysfan's uncle exceeded directly to him is a hoax e mail that has been notably circulated and maintains to do the rounds now and back. Johns Hopkins have denied that it got here from them. Breast maximum cancers is not extra probably to be hereditary than the different sort of maximum cancers; this fantasy is repeated each and each time a query is asked approximately hereditary maximum cancers. in reality in basic terms 5 - 10% of all breast maximum cancers situations are hereditary. And the place maximum cancers (breast or the different variety) IS hereditary, there is not any development of it 'skipping generations' - it extremely is yet another fantasy

Answer 7

Some cancers are genetic. Environment also plays a factor. And just bad luck!

Answer 8

some cancers are, most are not. what kind of cancer was it?

about 10-20% of breast cancers are familial. Stomach and colon cancers also have a familial link too. Most cancers do not however.

Answer 9

yes some of it is. The best thing to do is keep yourself checked for cancer when your doctor tell you too. Let your doctor know of all types of cancer that rans in your family.

Answer 10

Not that I know of,although some people are genetically predisposed to develop certain types of cancer.