Does cancer run in families?

Question:  Does cancer run in families?

Answer:  Yes it can.
About 10 percent of cancers are due to an inherited condition. Cancer cells develop because of damage to DNA.  Usually when DNA becomes damaged the body is able to repair it. In cancer cells the damaged DNA is not repaired.  People can inherit damaged DNA, which accounts for inherited cancers. More often, though, a person's DNA becomes damaged by exposure to something in the environment, like smoking.  If cancer is common in your family, it's possible that mutations are being passed from generation to generation. You may be a candidate for genetic screening to see whether you have inherited mutations that might increase your risk of developing cancer. Having an inherited genetic mutation though doesn't necessarily mean you will get cancer.