Can cancer be genetically transmitted

Answer 1

There are some medical reports that cancer can be passed through your gene lines. But, the research also suggest that it can miss a generation or be completely random in it's activation along the gene line.

Answer 2

You can inherit a predisposition for cancer, where certain genes that play a role in cancer - oncogenes - have an increase probability of transforming a cell into a cancer cell.

You cannot say with certainty that a individual will get cancer because "his parents had it" as often there is more than one factor involved in cancer's occurrence. But in a general sense it does mean there is an increased probability of an individual being at risk.

The exact effect of diet and lifestyle on cancer risk remains debatable, but there is no doubt that some environmental factors will raise the risk, so genes aren't everything!

It is also worth mentioning that cancer occurrence is proportional to age, and as we live longer, the probability of getting cancer in the average lifespan is higher. So for eg. if two parents get it aged 80 and 90, its not worth worrying about their children, be glad that they had their parents for so long and may get to also live to an age of such wisdom!

Answer 3

No, lung cancer from ciggs.... liver cancer from alcohol... skin cancer from holes in the ozone layer...