For many of us, getting cancer is much like having blue eyes, curly hair, big ears or a crooked nose -- it runs in the family. About 25% of cancer cases are passed down from immediate family members. Those of us who are a recipient of this kind of unlucky legacy are two to three times as likely to get cancer than are people who inherited a clean slate of genes.

Most cancers are genetic in origin, even if they aren't handed down to us. In these cases, something happens to the genetic code carried in our cells that makes those cells able to grow and divide indefinitely without dying.

Know what’s in your genes
Having a relative or two who had cancer doesn’t mean we're positively doomed to run up against the same monster. We're only at a higher risk of getting cancer, and that cancer gene may remain dormant for our entire life.

If you are one of the lucky ones who haven't been diagnosed with cancer, ask your parents and other relatives whether anybody in your family had cancer and, if so, what type of cancer they had. The chances of getting cancer increase if a first-degree relative such as parents or siblings had it than if a second-degree relative, such as a grandparent or aunt did.

Once you get your answers, you’ll know to vigilantly watch your health, get annual physical exams as well as follow other prevention techniques and do all the research you can to know what you may face.

The tricks of cancer inheritance
Inheriting cancer isn't always as straightforward as it may seem. Cases in point:

• Women with breast cancer in their families are at high risk for getting ovarian cancer.
• The risk of prostate cancer may also increase in men with family histories of breast cancer or ovarian cancer.
• Women’s risk of getting breast cancer is higher if their fathers or brothers had prostate cancer.

Most of us can find out if we carry certain cancer genes through blood tests, although such tests are generally not recommended for those of us who don't have a strong family history of cancer. The tests are expensive, they can be inconclusive and they may not be covered by health insurance.

Inheriting a bright future
In spite of the above, our genetic legacy isn't all about doom and gloom. As scientists establish more conclusive links between certain genes and cancer, we move ever closer to the day that we'll be able to fight back at cancer by altering -- and disabling -- those same genes that raise our cancer risks.

Stay tuned to the latest cancer news for the most recent research. Additionally, if you want to participate in genetic research, call the Cancer Information Service (1-800-4-CANCER) to enroll in the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Genetics Network. The network includes more than 24,000 individuals with personal or family histories of cancer who are interested in inherited susceptibility to cancer.

See also

• Prevention techniques
• Healthy living
• Cancer Types
• Adapting to life with cancer