Is Cancer Genetic?
Damage and Gene Mutations
Is cancer genetic?
All cancers are caused by damage to the genes in your cells. These changes are called “gene mutations.” Mutations can build up in cells in your body over time. Cells with too many mutations may stop working normally, grow out of control and become cancer. It usually takes many years for cells to build enough damage to become cancer.
Because all cancers are caused by gene mutations, all cancers are considered "genetic."
When people ask, "Is cancer is genetic?" what many people really want to know is, "Can cancer risk can be passed down from parents to children?" or "Is cancer hereditary?"
Is cancer hereditary?
About 10 percent of cancers are caused by inherited mutations that can be passed from parents to children. These inherited mutations increase the risk for cancer from generation to generation. Cancers caused by inherited mutations are known as "hereditary cancers." You can read more about inherited mutations and hereditary cancers here.