Having an alteration in the VHL gene is what is know as a predisposition factor to certain kinds of tumors, including some specific cancers. Because there are so many well-organized resources for people with cancer, and because the concerns of people living with a chronic condition like VHL are so similar to those of people living with cancer, it is often an advantage to keep an eye on those services.
Cancer can be a frightening word.
However, with careful early monitoring and treatment, the worst possibilities of cancer may never occur. Cancer is not one thing, it is a group of more than 100 different diseases. While each disease differs from the others in many ways, every cancer is a disease of some of the body's cells. Cancer associated with VHL is limited to specific types. Healthy cells that make up the body's tissues grow, divide, and replace themselves in an orderly way.