What is my risk for hereditary cancer?

Q: What is my risk for hereditary cancer?

The answer starts with your family history. It's important to know your family medical history and share your personal medical history with your relatives. If cancer runs in your family, genetic testing may provide information that can help you understand your risk and make informed healthcare decisions. Here are some common signs that indicate there could be an inherited mutation causing cancer in a family.

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Signs of an Inherited Mutation

Is the cancer in your family hereditary? Learn about the signs of a cancer gene mutation and the benefits of genetic testing. Stay up to date by signing up for our community newsletter.

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Signs of an in a Cancer Gene

Could the cancer in your family be hereditary?

Some people are born with a change, called an in their that increases their risk for cancer. Inherited mutations can be passed down from parents to children and cause cancer to run in families.

Does cancer really run in your family? Specific signs in your family health history can affect your cancer risk. A simple genetic test on your blood or saliva checks for inherited mutations that could put you at risk.

You might want to talk to your healthcare team about testing if you—or someone related to you by blood—has had:

Ovarian cancer, endometrial or uterine cancer, pancreatic cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, male breast cancer, gastric or stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, metastatic prostate cancer, or very rare cancers
Younger-than-average onset of certain cancers like breast or prostate cancer
Any combination of these cancers in the same person more than once or in multiple people on the same side of the family: Breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, colorectal, endometrial, or gastric
Also, Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and a personal or family history of cancer

Talk to your healthcare team about any questions you have. For a more complete list of signs to be aware of and other important information, visit FacingOurRisk.org.

Find information that's right for you. Choose the option that best matches your situation.

I'm Concerned About My Cancer Risk

I Have Cancer & Need To Make Treatment Decisions

I've Had Cancer & Have Concerns About Future Risk For Myself & Family

I Had Genetic Testing In The Past & Want To Know If I Should Have Additional Testing

What is my risk for ?

The answer starts with your family history.

It's important to know your family medical history and share your personal medical history with your relatives. If cancer runs in your family, genetic testing may provide information that can help you understand your risk and make informed healthcare decisions.

Here are some common signs that indicate there could be an causing cancer in a family.

You have a blood relative who tested positive for an inherited mutation

Ask your relatives to share the results of any genetic testing they have had. It helps to know which test was done, which genes were tested, whether any mutations were found and how the results were explained by a genetics expert.

You or a close relative has been diagnosed with certain cancers at any age

These cancers may be a sign of an inherited mutation:

Some breast cancers:
- male breast cancer
- cancer in both breasts or two separate cancers in the same breast
Colorectal cancer
Endometrial (uterine) cancer
Gastric (stomach) cancer
Ovarian, or primary peritoneal cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Some cancers:
- prostate cancer
- very-high or high-risk based on pathology
- intermediate-risk with a pathology result called intraductal/cribriform histology
3 or more melanomas
A rare type of cancer

You or a close relative has been diagnosed with the certain cancers at a younger-than-average age

Breast cancer at age 50 or younger
cancer at age 55 or younger
Any cancer before age 18

Multiple people on the same side of your family were diagnosed with any combination of certain cancers

Brain
Biliary tract
Breast
Colorectal
Endometrial
Gastric
Small intestine
Melanoma
Ovarian, or primary peritoneal cancer
Pancreatic cancer
cancer

You are and you or a close relative have a history of cancer

People of Eastern European Jewish ancestry are more likely to have a mutation in or than people of other ethnicities.

As you review your family history, it's important to keep in mind the following:

These signs can suggest an , but many families with one or more of these signs will not have a mutation.
Even in families where a mutation is found, some relatives will test negative.
This is not a complete list of all the possible signs of an .

A genetics expert can help you understand whether the cancer in your family may be hereditary and whether genetic testing could be helpful.

I have cancer and I'm making treatment decisions

Genetic testing may affect treatment or surgery options.

Genetic test results may help you and your healthcare team choose treatments that are more likely to work and help you avoid options that may be less effective or unnecessary. They may also help you make decisions about which type of surgery will best treat your cancer or help you avoid a new cancer diagnosis in the future.

GENETIC TESTING AND TREATMENT OPTIONS BY CANCER TYPE

Gain insights into treatment options and genetic testing for specific cancer types.

Breast Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

I was diagnosed with cancer and have concerns about future risk for myself and family

Even if you were previously diagnosed with cancer and no longer making treatment decisions, genetic testing may benefit you and your family.

Genetic testing may provide information about your future cancer risks and help your relatives understand their risks. Test results may help you and your family take action to prevent cancer or find it early.

Talk with your doctor about additional genetic counseling and testing in the following situations.

You had a testing on your tumor that indicated you might have an inherited mutation

A mutation found through tumor testing may sometimes be inherited. Tumor testing alone usually cannot tell whether a mutation is present only in the cancer or was inherited. Genetic testing using blood or saliva may be recommended to find out.

You have a blood relative who tested positive for an inherited mutation

You or a close relative has been diagnosed with certain cancers at any age

These cancers may be a sign of an inherited mutation:

Some breast cancers:
- male breast cancer
- cancer in both breasts or two separate cancers in the same breast
Colorectal cancer
Endometrial (uterine) cancer
Gastric (stomach) cancer
Ovarian, or primary peritoneal cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Some cancers:
- prostate cancer
- very-high or high-risk based on pathology
- intermediate-risk with a pathology result called intraductal/cribriform histology
3 or more melanomas
A rare type of cancer

You or a close relative has been diagnosed with the certain cancers at a younger-than-average age

Breast cancer at age 50 or younger
cancer at age 55 or younger
Any cancer before age 18

You and other relatives on the same side of your family were diagnosed with any combination of certain cancers

Brain
Biliary tract
Breast
Colorectal
Endometrial
Gastric
Small intestine
Melanoma
Ovarian, or primary peritoneal cancer
Pancreatic cancer
cancer

You are Ashkenazi Jewish

People of Eastern European Jewish ancestry are more likely to have a mutation in or than people of other ethnicities.

I've had genetic testing in the past and want to know if I need additional testing

Genetic testing has improved over the years and labs are able to find mutations that were previously missed through older testing methods.

Talk with your doctor about additional genetic counseling and testing in the following situations:

Your previous genetic test results were negative, and:
- the test only looked for one or a few genes.
- you had genetic testing before 2014.
There have been new cancers diagnosed in your family that are not explained by earlier genetic test results, even if you or another family member previously tested positive for a mutation.

Infographic: When to ask about genetic testing for an inherited mutation

Not sure where to start when it comes to your family’s cancer history? Here’s a visual recap of the signs of an along with key tips about what getting tested actually looks like, from gathering your family history to reviewing results with your care team.

Save it, bookmark it, or share it with family members as a starting point for your own conversations about risk.

Download infographic

Does cancer really run in your family?

Specific signs in your family health history can affect your cancer risk.

When to ask about testing

You might want to talk to your healthcare team about testing if you — or someone related to you by blood — has had:

A diagnosis of any of these cancers at any age:
- Triple-negative breast
- Male breast
- Colorectal
- Endometrial (uterine)
- Gastric (stomach)
- Ovarian
- Pancreatic
- Metastatic prostate
- Very rare cancers
Younger-than-average onset of certain cancers, like:
- Breast
- Prostate
Any combination of these cancers in the same person more than once OR in multiple people on the same side of the family:
- Breast
- Colorectal
- Endometrial (uterine)
- Gastric (stomach)
- Ovarian
- Pancreatic
- Prostate
Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and a personal or family history of cancer.

How to get an answer

A simple genetic test on your blood or saliva checks for inherited mutations that could increase your risk for cancer.

Gather your family medical history of cancer: Share this during your consultation.
Find an expert: Use the FORCE website to locate a local or telehealth genetics expert specializing in inherited cancer risks. Ask your healthcare provider or genetic counselor about any questions you have.
Provide a sample: Complete the lab test using a blood draw or saliva sample.
Review results: Discuss your results and medical options with your care team 2 to 6 weeks later.

Next steps

Talk to your doctor or a genetics expert about any questions you have. Check out the complete list of signs and other important information on our website.