In a lot of diseases it is believed that prevention in the early stages may save your life to a great extent. It is necessary to know the diseases to which you are prone to and recognize them. It may cause some level of anxiety in the beginning, but with time you may be able to implement some powerful actions like control, awareness and time. Do a careful study of the health history of your parents and grandparents. The study of their health history is a good understanding of what to look out for when you get old. It is also a good sign for you to stay healthy from the start.
Cancer is a disease which develops due to some changes in your genes. When the genes work in a proper way then they help in promoting the growth of the cells in a natural and controlled manner. But when a change occurs in the tissues of the gene then the affected area becomes cancerous. All cancers are genetic as they are formed due to mutation of genes. Only a few of the cancers are inheritable and it is reported that 5% - 10% of all cancers are inheritable. The cancers that are on the list of 5% -10% are breast, ovarian, colorectal and prostate cancer.
One must understand the fact that it is not the cancer that is passed down from the parent to a child, but it is the presence of gene mutation that is passed down. Your chances of acquiring this disease may increase but it is not necessary that you will have cancer.
A human body comprises 2 sets of 23 chromosomes and each set has a DNA from each parent. Each and every chromosome is made up of thousands of genes that are found in sets. In case of a breast ovarian cancer it is BRCA1 and BRCA2 that are the most affected. The BRCA gene has the gene from both the mother and the father. If any of the BRCA genes of mother or father is mutated then there are high chances of the gene being passed down from the parent to the child. So study your family history and consult a physician and get a gene test done to avoid any form of cancer.