Genetics May Leave Some People Prone to Cancers

All cancers are said to be "genetic" in origin. That is, they stem from mutations in DNA that cause cells to grow unchecked. But that's different from saying they're inherited, or passed from parent to child.

Cancer experts believe that between 5 percent and 10 percent of cancers are the results of single genes that have gone awry and that get transmitted across generations. These "susceptibility genes" put a person at substantially greater risk of developing cancer in specific organs.

The trigger for the tumor might simply be the passage of time, but it might also be a constellation of contact with things in the environment, such as cigarette smoke, certain chemicals, or other exposures. [MedicineNet Cancer General]

Posted June 2004 | Permanent Link


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