If there is a history of cancer in your family, you may have an increased chance of getting the disease. Five to ten percent of cancer cases are the result of altered genes that can be passed from one generation to another. Members of such families have a greater lifetime risk of developing cancer than the general public.
Many people overestimate their risks.
They keep worrying about the possibility, yet they don't seek the counseling and surveillance they need to detect cancers early. The Hereditary Cancer Clinic can provide an accurate risk assessment and guidelines for such early detection. Since very few people actually have a hereditary cancer syndrome in their family, most people are relieved to find out their risk is less than they imagined. If an individual is thought to be at an increased risk for developing cancer, an appointment will be made to discuss their risk and the option of genetic testing. The fact is that only 10 percent of the patients who have cancer will truly have a hereditary predisposition.