Read about different genes that are linked to hereditary cancer, their associated risks and guidelines for screening, preventing and treating cancers in people with inherited mutations in these genes.
Risk management for people with inherited mutations
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) provides risk management guidelines for men and women with mutations. These are listed below. We also recommend that you speak with a genetics expert who can look at your personal and family history of cancer and can help you determine the best risk management plan. Consider enrolling in a research study looking at other ways to screen for or prevent cancer.
Risk management for children
An inherited mutation can increase the risk for cancer beginning during childhood. Risk management for some cancers begins at a young age.
- Girls should have an annual exam by a doctor to look for evidence of early-onset puberty beginning at age 8.
- Boys should have an annual exam by a doctor to look for cancer of the testicles or evidence of feminizing changes beginning at age10.
- Boys and girls should have a colonoscopy, upper endoscopy and small bowel exam using CT, or video capsule endoscopy starting at age 8-10 with followup every 2-3 years depending on if abnormalities are found.
Risk management for adults
- Breast cancer
- Ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Gastrointestinal cancers
- Pancreatic cancer
- Other cancer risks
Breast cancer in women
- Learning to be aware of changes in breasts beginning at age 18.
- Clinical breast exam every 6 months starting at age 30.
- Yearly breast with contrast and yearly beginning at age 30.
- Discuss risk-reducing mastectomy.
Ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancer
- Yearly pelvic exam and Pap smear beginning at age 18-20.
Testicular cancer
- Yearly testicular exam and observation for feminizing changes (e.g., breast enlargement) beginning at age 10 and continuing through adulthood.
Gastrointestinal cancers
- Colonoscopy every 2-3 years beginning in late teens.
- Upper endoscopy every 2-3 years beginning in late teens.
- Small bowel screening with CT or . Baseline at age 8-10 years.After baseline exam, follow-up small bowel screening every 2-3 years, beginning at age 18.
Pancreatic cancer
- Consider pancreatic cancer screening every 1-2 years, beginning at age 30-35 (or 10 years younger than the earliest case of pancreatic cancer in the family), using one or both of the following:
- contrast-enhanced MRI/magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRI/MRCP)
- endoscopic (EUS)
- Before undergoing screening, people should have a conversation with their doctor about the potential benefits, risks, costs and limitations of screening.
- NCCN recommends that the screening be performed in an experienced facility.
Other cancer
- Provide information about lung cancer and quitting smoking.
There has not been enough research to show a benefit from screening and prevention for other cancers in people who have a mutation. For this reason, experts recommend managing other cancer risks based on family history. Cancer screening and prevention research studies may be available for people with mutations.
Get Support
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
Related Resources
- Medline Plus is a site from the U.S. Library of Medicine that provides consumer-friendly information about the effects of a mutation on human health.
- The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a section on .
- Smart Patients has an active support community.
updated: 03/18/2022
Paying For Care
Health plan coverage of screening and prevention varies, and deductibles, coinsurance and copays often apply. If you need preventive services and your insurance company denies your claim, your health care provider can help you write an appeal letter, or you can use one of our sample appeal letters. If you need information about finding an insurance plan, watch our video: Choosing Wisely: How to Pick Insurance Plans.
Visit our section on Insurance and Paying for Care: Screening and Prevention for more information.
updated: 11/15/2022
Open Clinical Trials
The following are risk-management studies enrolling people with inherited mutations. Check study listings or contact the study team to see if you are eligible.
Multiple cancers
- NCT02665195: Registry Of MultiPlex Testing (PROMPT). PROMPT is an online research registry for people who have had genetic panel testing. The goal of the PROMPT Registry is to follow people with mutations or variants in genes on these panels, so that patients, physicians and researchers can more clearly understand these lesser-known risks. This study is open to people with an inherited mutation or in a number of different genes, including: , , , , , , and others.
- The Risk Factor Analysis of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer In Women with , or Mutations This study seeks to improve researchers’ understanding of how hormonal, reproductive and lifestyle factors may be associated with cancer in this high-risk population.
cancer
- NCT03805919: Men at High Genetic Risk for Cancer. This is a cancer screening study using in high risk men. This study is open to men with , , , , , HOXB13, , , , and other inherited mutations.
- NCT05129605: Cancer Genetic Risk Evaluation and Screening Study (PROGRESS). This study will look at how well MRI works as a screening tool for men at high risk for cancer. This study is open to men with inherited mutations in , , , , , , HOXB13, , , , , , , , , and other genes.
Ovarian cancer
- Validating a Blood Test for Early Ovarian Cancer Detection in High-risk Women and Families: MicroRNA Detection Study (MiDE). The goal of MiDe is to develop a test to detect ovarian cancer. Participants can be expected to provide up to 4 tubes of blood every 6 months for up to 5 years. We can collect these samples through mobile phlebotomy all around the US. The study is enrolling people with , , , , , , and other mutations.
- NCT05287451: Risk Reducing With Delayed as an Alternative to Risk- Reducing Salpingo-oophorectomy in High Risk-Women to Assess the Safety of Prevention. This study will look at outcomes in women with , , , and who remove their first, followed by removal of their ovaries compared to women who undergo standard-of-care removal of their ovaries and at the same time.
Pancreatic cancer
- NCT03250078: A Pancreatic Cancer Screening Study in Hereditary High Risk Individuals. The main goal of this study is to screen and detect pancreatic cancer and precursor lesions in individuals with a strong family history or genetic predisposition to pancreatic cancer. and Magnetic cholangiopancreatography (MRI/MRCP) will be utilized to screen for early pancreatic lesions.
- NCT02206360: Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Program. This pancreatic cancer screening study uses esopheal to screen for pancreatic cancer in high risk people. The study is open to people who have an inherited mutation in one of the following genes: , , , CDKN2A, , or .
- NCT03568630: Blood Markers of Early Pancreas Cancer. This pancreatic cancer study involves blood samples over time to look for biomarkers of pancreatic cancer in high risk people. The study is open to people with a mutation linked to increased cancer risk.
- NCT02478892: Preliminary Evaluation of Screening for Pancreatic Cancer in Patients with an Inherited Genetic Risk Due to a , , or Mutation. This study uses and endoscopic to screen for pancreatic cancer in people with a BRCA1/2, or mutation.
Additional risk-management clinical trials for people with inherited mutations may be found here.
updated: 09/11/2022