Frequently Asked Questions

Genes are pieces of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) inside our cells that tell the cell how to make the proteins the body needs to function. DNA is the genetic “blueprint” in each cell. Genes affect inherited traits passed on from a parent to a child, such as hair color, eye color, and height. They can also affect whether a person is likely to develop certain diseases, such as cancer.

Changes in genes, called mutations, play an important role in the development of cancer. Mutations can cause a cell to make (or not make) proteins that affect how the cell grows and divides into new cells. Certain mutations can cause cells to grow out of control, which can lead to cancer. Still, only about 5% to 10% of all cancers are thought to be strongly related to an inherited gene mutation.
Usually several gene changes or mutations are needed before a cell becomes cancer.
Most cancers start because of acquired gene mutations that happen during a person’s lifetime. Sometimes these gene changes have an outside cause, such as exposure to sunlight or tobacco. But gene mutations can also be random events that sometimes happen inside a cell, without a clear cause.
Acquired mutations only affect the cells that grow from the mutated cell. They do not affect all the cells in the person’s body. This means all the cancer cells will have the mutations, but normal cells in the body will not. Because of this, the mutations are not passed on to a person’s children. This is very different from inherited mutations, which are in every cell in the body – even the cells without cancer.

Genetic testing is the use of medical tests to look for certain mutations in a person’s genes.

Genetic counseling and testing may be recommended for people who have had certain cancers or certain patterns of cancer in their family. If you have any of the following, you might consider genetic testing:
Several first-degree relatives (mother, father, sisters, brothers, children) with cancer
Many relatives on one side of the family who have had the same type of cancer
A cluster of cancers in your family that are known to be linked to a single gene mutation ( such as breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers in your family).
A family member with more than 1 type of cancer
Family members who had cancer at a younger age than normal for that type of cancer
Close relatives with cancers that are linked to rare hereditary cancer syndromes
A family member with a rare cancer, such as breast cancer in a male or retinoblastoma
Ethnicity (for example, Jewish ancestry is linked to ovarian and breast cancers)
A physical finding that’s linked to an inherited cancer (such as having many colon polyps)
A known genetic mutation in one or more family members who have already had genetic testing

If you are concerned about a pattern of cancer in your family, cancer you’ve had in the past, or other cancer risk factors, you may want to talk to a health care provider about whether genetic counseling and testing might be a good option for you.

The results may help them make decisions about their treatment and understand their risk for other cancers.

Early detection.

Surgery, Chemotherapy, Hormonal Therapy, PARP Inhibitors and other targeted therapy, Immunotherapy and Radiation.

Smoke

Over one and a half million new cancer cases are diagnosed each year. Anyone can get cancer at any age, but the risk goes up with age. Nearly 9 out of 10 cancers are diagnosed in people ages 50 and older. Cancer can be found in people of all racial and ethnic groups, but the rate of cancer occurrence (called the incidence rate) varies from group to group.

Today, more than 15 million people alive in the United States have had some type of cancer. Some of these people are cancer-free; others still have it.

In the past, people often stayed away from someone who had cancer. They were afraid they might “catch” the disease. But cancer isn’t like the flu or a cold. You can’t catch cancer from someone who has it. You won’t get cancer by being around or touching someone with cancer. Don’t be afraid to visit someone with cancer. They need the support of their family and friends.

There’s no sure way to prevent cancer, but there are things you can do to help reduce your chances of getting it. For instance;
Early detection
To find cancer early, while it’s small and before it has spread, adults should have regular tests called cancer screening tests. These tests help health care providers find common cancers before they cause symptoms. For example, regular screening can find cancers of the breast, colon, rectum, cervix, mouth, and skin early. If cancer is found early, it can be easier to treat. Survival also tends to be longer for those with early cancer. Talk to a health care provider about which screening tests might be right for you.

Many cancers can be cured, but not all of them and not always.

Cure means that treatment has made the cancer go away, and there’s no chance that it will come back. It’s rare that a doctor can be sure that cancer will never come back. In most cases it takes time, and the longer a person is cancer free, the better the chance that the cancer will not come back.