Summary

In this section, we discussed how cancer develops and how genes are involved in this process.

The main points addressed were as follows:

• All cancers are caused by mutations, or changes in genes, but not all cancers run in families
• The vast majority of cancers are considered sporadic, where the gene changes occur due to factors that do not run in families
• Other cancers are considered inherited and can be caused by mutations that are passed down in families
• Inherited forms of cancer tend to happen earlier in life and to be more severe than sporadic forms
• Health professionals often use family history tools known as pedigrees to help determine if a family is affected by an inherited form of cancer
• Knowing your risk factors for cancer, both genetic and otherwise, can help you take steps to reduce your chances of developing the disease
• For some people at risk of cancer, this will mean getting screened earlier and more regularly than usual