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Our inherited genes
do play a role in how likely we are to develop cancer. A gene
mutation can be carried in the reproductive cells that is passed
from one generation to the next. Sometimes it is not entirely
clear whether a family's pattern of cancer is due to chance,
similarities in the lifestyle choices of family members, or
from gene mutations passed from parents to children. Recent
research has shown that complex processes occur in which a number
of different genes controlling cell division become mutated
before a cell becomes cancerous.
A family history of cancer can play a significant role in determining
personal risk of developing cancer. Member of families with
a history of cancer need to make a greater effort to avoid exposure
to carcinogens and require closer cancer screening than other
people. |