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ATM Mutations: Cancer Risks

Learn about the cancer risks associated with mutations in the ATM gene. Stay up to date by signing up for our community newsletter.

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Cancer Risks Associated with Inherited Mutations

People with an mutation have a higher risk for several types of cancer. These cancers tend to happen at a younger age than in people without a mutation.

Experts at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) created guidelines which estimate the cancer risks for people with mutations. These cancer risk estimates are updated based on the latest research.

See the table below for estimated risks for the following cancers in people with mutations:

breast cancer
pancreatic cancer
ovarian cancer
colorectal cancer
cancer

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 several years will vary depending on many factors, including:

current age
gender
specific mutation
personal and family health history
diet, exercise, lifestyle and other factors

To understand more about your personal risk, we recommend that you speak with a genetics expert who can look at your personal and family history of cancer and help you decide on a plan for managing your risk.

Participate in Research

Inherited Cancer Registry (ICARE): Contribute to Research While Staying Informed

Cancer Type	Lifetime Risk with an Mutation	Lifetime Risk for General Population	Notes
Breast cancer	21 - 24%	12.5%	People with a common mutation known as c.7271T>G variant may have a higher risk for breast cancer than people with other variants.
Risk for 2nd breast cancer diagnosis in women who were previously diagnosed with breast cancer	4% risk within 10 years of initial diagnosis		More research is needed to confirm this risk. This applies to women who have not had mastectomy.
Male breast cancer	May be increased	.1%	More research is needed to confirm this risk.
Pancreatic cancer	5 - 10%	1.7%
Ovarian cancer	2 - 3%	1.1%
Colorectal cancer	5 - 10%	4%	More research is needed to confirm this link.
cancer	May be elevated	12.8%	More research is needed to confirm this link.
Source: NCCN Guidelines: Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, Pancreatic, v. 1, 2026.

Other cancers

More research is needed to better define the lifetime risks for other cancers in people with an mutation. For this reason, genetics experts often look at a family’s history of cancer to help people with mutations understand their risk for additional cancers.