Inherited Researchers are just beginning to understand how cancer risk can be inherited. Normally, certain genes protect the body from cancer by controlling how cells grow and react to the body's signals.
Some people inherit changes in a cancer-associated gene from their parents.
Since the DNA of a number of genes needs to be altered for a cell to become cancerous, an alteration in just one cancer-associated gene won't cause cancer by itself. Their risk of certain types of cancer is higher than average. Having an altered cancer-associated gene does not necessarily mean that a person will develop cancer. The additional changes necessary for cancer to develop may not occur. What is more, taking preventive steps can lower cancer risk.