Cancer risk associated with an inherited mutation
If you have tested positive for a mutation, we recommend consulting with a genetics expert who can assess your personal and family history of cancer, and can help you decide on a plan to manage your risk.
People with an inherited have a greatly increased risk of developing several types of cancer. Note that when we use the term "men" and "women" we are referring to the sex you were assigned at birth.
Risks for women
Women who have an in have an increased lifetime risk for these cancers:
- Breast cancer: The lifetime risk for a women with a mutation is about 32 - 54 percent compared to 12.5 percent for an average risk woman.
- Ovarian cancer: Women with a mutation have an increased risk for a rare type of ovarian cancer called a Sertoli cell tumor.
- Endometrial cancer: The lifetime risk for a women with a mutation is about 10 percent compared to 3 percent for an average risk woman.
- Cervical cancer: The lifetime risk for a women with a mutation is about 10 percent compared to less than 1 percent for an average risk woman.
Risks for men
Men who have a mutation in have about a 10% lifetime risk of developing a rare type of testicular cancer called a Sertoli cell tumor compared to less than 1% for men in the general population.
Risks for all people
All people who have an in are at increased risk of developing these cancers.
- Colorectal cancer: The lifetime risk for people with an mutation is about 40 percent compared to 4 percent for an average risk person.
- Pancreatic cancer: The lifetime risk is 10 - 35 percent compared to 1.5 percent for an average risk person.
- Stomach (gastric) cancer: The lifetime risk is about 30 percent compared to less than 1 percent for the average risk person.
- Small intestine cancer: The lifetime risk is 15 percent compared to less than 1 percent for the average risk person.
- Lung cancer: The lifetime risk is 10 - 15 percent.
It is important to note that cancer risks are estimates over the course of a person's lifetime. Your lifetime risk and risk over the next five years will vary depending on:
- current age
- sex assigned at birth
- specific mutation
- personal and family health history
- diet, exercise, lifestyle and other factors
FORCE offers many peer support programs for people with inherited mutations.
- Our Message Boards allow people to connect with others who share their situation. Once registered, you can post on the Diagnosed With Cancer board to connect with other people who have been diagnosed.
- Our Peer Navigation Program will match you with a volunteer who shares your mutation and situation.
- Our moderated, private Facebook group allows you to connect with other community members 24/7.
- Check out our virtual and in-person support meeting calendar.
- Join one of our Zoom community group meetings.
updated: 08/06/2022
NCT02665195: Registry Of MultiPlex Testing (PROMPT). PROMPT is an online research registry. The goal of PROMPT is to help researchers to better understand the risks that are linked to mutations in less well-studied genes. People with inherited mutations can enroll in PROMPT to help researchers learn more about cancer risks.
updated: 05/29/2023
- NCT03030404: Hereditary Gastric Cancer Syndromes: An Integrated Genomic and Clinicopathologic Study of the Predisposition to Gastric Cancer. Researchers want to gather data about hereditary gastric cancers. They want to learn about changes these cause in the body and about the genes involved.
updated: 05/03/2023