• Question: How do you actually get Cancer? is it inherited?

    Asked by griffmeg11 to Clare, Mariana, Pedro, Robert, Susanne on 12 Nov 2012. This question was also asked by girlygeek1.
    • Photo: Clare Taylor

      Clare Taylor answered on 12 Nov 2012:

      That’s an important question and one that many people worry about. Cancer usually occurs when a gene inside a cell becomes altered and starts to grow and reproduce uncontrollably. Genes can become altered as a result of damage caused by exposure to harmful chemicals (like those found in cigarette smoke) or radiation but it is often an unlucky occurrence that occurs later in life and wouldn’t be inherited anyway. There are however some forms of cancer which may be inherited because they are linked to an altered ( mutated) gene that can be passed on. Thankfully, this happens in only around 5 – 10% of cancers and because there is a genetic link, we can look for the mutated genes in people who might be at risk, which gives doctors the chance to take preventative measures before the cancer actually appears.

    • Photo: Mariana Campos

      Mariana Campos answered on 13 Nov 2012:

      As Clare said it depends on the cancer, some are some are not. What happens often is what is called increased risk. So, some genes, when faulty, increase the probability of someone having cancer. For instance in breast cancer: scientists found genes that when faulty increase the chances that a woman gets breast cancer. For some of them scientists manage to create genetic tests so that women can be checked. Women that find out that they have higher risk can pay more attention to see if they develop any symptoms and be checked more frequently. But usually it doesn’t mean that, by having the faulty gene she will definitely have the cancer. Cancer is a complicated thing!

    • Photo: Robert Insall

      Robert Insall answered on 18 Nov 2012:

      Hello again Griffmeg,

      Mostly, you get cancer because accidents change your genes, as Clare and Mariana have said. You tend not to inherit that sort of accident.

      What you CAN inherit, though, is how well you deal with accidents when they happen (and they do happen – a lot – during a lifetime). There’s a protein called BRCA1 that helps repair damaged genes. If your BRCA1 is faulty, you are much more likely to get breast cancer.

      Faulty BRCA1 is often inherited. If a relative of yours gets breats cancer, they may well test you to see if your BRCA1 is working. If it is there’s nothing to worry about, you’re the same as everyone else. If it’s faulty, they will screen you much more often.

      Hope this helps…

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