| Cancer involves mutations, or changes, in genes. | | | | present. What other family members have/had |
| In most people affected by cancer, these genetic | | | | cancer and their relationship to you. When you |
| changes happen after birth later in life. In | | | | meet with a genetic counselor, they will go over |
| Hereditary Cancer, the cancer is caused by a | | | | your family's medical history and information. This |
| genetic mutation that the person was born with. | | | | will include first-degree relatives, such as your |
| Some cancers, such as breast, ovary and colon | | | | parents, siblings and children. second-degree |
| tend to be hereditary, but that doesn't mean that | | | | relatives like grandparents, aunts and uncles and |
| you will develop a cancer in one of these areas if | | | | your third-degree relatives or cousins.Genetic |
| you have an immediate family member that has | | | | testing can help a breast cancer patient make |
| experienced the disease. Not all genetic mutations | | | | decisions about types of treatment and |
| will develop into cancer, however, the mutation will | | | | follow-care. A woman with the one of the BRCA |
| increase the chance that the person will have a | | | | mutations may decide to have both breasts |
| higher risk of developing cancer.Only 10% of all | | | | removed completely to help reduce the risk of |
| breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary. | | | | reoccurrence. Having your healthy breasts or |
| Some of the factors that increase the occurrence | | | | ovaries removed to prevent cancer is called a |
| of hereditary breast cancer are breast cancer | | | | "prophylactic surgery" and many women who test |
| before age 45, male breast cancer, cancer in both | | | | positive for the genetic mutations decide to go |
| breasts and many cases of breast and/or ovarian | | | | that route. They may just decide to take |
| cancer on one side of the family. If you have two | | | | Tamoxifen to lower their risk.Not only can women |
| relatives from the same side of your family with | | | | take advantage of risk reduction techniques based |
| breast cancer, your risk of getting the disease | | | | on the results of their genetic testing, there are |
| can be increased. However it does not mean that | | | | also increased surveillance tools that can help high |
| you will definitely get breast cancer. You also | | | | risk individuals with early detection. Magnetic |
| must keep in mind that the risk for hereditary | | | | Resonance Imaging (MRI) and ultrasound are two |
| cancer can be passed on from your mother or | | | | tools that can be combined with a mammogram |
| your father. You must look at both sides of the | | | | to detect breast cancer in its most treatable |
| family.The two hereditary mutations that are | | | | stage.Not every person who carries a genetic |
| looked at for breast cancer are BRCA1 and | | | | mutation will develop cancer. You must remember |
| BRCA2. The test for these two genetic factors | | | | that genetic testing does not detect breast |
| are done by taking a blood sample. Both of these | | | | cancer and it will not tell you if you will get breast |
| BRCA mutations (BReast CAncer 1 and 2) are | | | | cancer in your lifetime. The decision to participate |
| associated with breast and ovarian cancers.So | | | | in genetic testing is very personal and there is no |
| what factors should you consider when thinking | | | | right or wrong choice in making the decision to |
| about genetic testing? The age and onset of | | | | have it done. |
| breast cancer. What other types of cancer are | | | | |