• Question: Are some cancers genetical?

    Asked by cowseatgrass to Adam, Joanna on 23 Nov 2012.
    • Photo: Adam Paige

      Adam Paige answered on 23 Nov 2012:

      All cancer is genetic from the point of view that it is caused by damage to DNA. But most of these cancers occur randomly in individuals. Not much cancer is actually inherited from one person to their child (only 5-10% of cases).

      This is because the DNA damage in most cancers starts in a damaged cell in the body (like in the lungs or liver), only occasionally does the DNA damage occur in a sperm or egg cell that would therefore be inherited by any children.

    • Photo: Joanna Giles

      Joanna Giles answered on 23 Nov 2012:

      Adam is the cancer expert 🙂 But yes, damage to DNA is the cause of cancer. Some are though genetoc (you are right!) for example they know that Breast Cancer and ovarian cancer have a very high genetic component and if you have a specific version of a gene called BRCA1 then you are much more at risk (this is inherited from one of your parents). Did you know that men can also get breast cancer too?

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