Is cancer a genetic disease?
Yes. The National Cancer Institute explains that cancer is a genetic disease. That is, it is caused by changes to genes that control the way our cells work, above all how they grow and divide.
But "genetic" does not always mean "inherited." Gene changes that cause cancer can happen in three ways. They can come from mistakes that occur as cells divide. They can come from damage to DNA by harmful things in the environment, such as chemicals in tobacco smoke and ultraviolet rays from the sun. Or they can be passed down from a parent.
The gene changes that lead to cancer tend to affect three main types of genes: proto-oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and DNA repair genes. These changes are sometimes called "drivers" of cancer.
Each person's cancer has its own mix of gene changes. Even within one tumor, different cells may carry different changes. If you wonder whether an inherited change might affect you or your family, a health care team or a genetic counselor can help.
Want the full picture? Read our complete explanation: What Is Cancer? How It Starts and Spreads
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