Is Breast Cancer Genetic? Expert Weighs In

While the common cold is communicable, diabetes is genetic. There can be multiple reasons behind the diagnosis of a disease, but there is a valid excuse why doctors ask about family history. They want to map your genes, study them, and understand why a certain disease can be hereditary.

The same is the case with a few types of cancers. People can do everything right, exercise every day, eat healthy, quit smoking, and conduct regular exams and still get an unfavourable result. If you are wondering the same about breast cancer, this article is for you.

Dr Aparna Dhar, director of hereditary, precision oncology and genetic counselling, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi, connected with us to tell you if breast cancer can be genetic.

Who Is At High Risk For Breast Cancer?

She added, “Women newly diagnosed with breast cancer face so many unknowns: What does the diagnosis mean for my future? What kind of treatment is best? Did I inherit a high-risk gene? What effect will my cancer, if it is genetic, have on my children or grandchildren?”

She added that the answer lies in genetic testing, which, unlike a blood test, gives details about your family and makes it easier for healthcare experts and potential patients to plan for the future.

Since breast cancer is also genetic, testing can help a person understand the chances of getting breast cancer. The expert said that a person should sit with a counsellor to have a detailed discussion on the results and what they mean to them.

Is There A Genetic Test For Breast Cancer?

Dr Dhar added, “Genetic testing can help identify disease-causing mutations in genes associated with hereditary breast cancer syndromes.” Here are a few statistics that she shared about the disease and genetic test:

• Men make up only 1% of all cases of breast cancer. Inheriting the gene can cause breast or prostate in them.
• Only 5-10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary i.e. the gene is thought to be inherited, thus making the individual genetically predisposed.
• A genetic test involves giving a blood or saliva sample that can be analysed to pick up any abnormalities in genes associated with hereditary cancer syndromes.
• If you have a family history of breast, pancreatic, prostate, ovarian, and cervical cancer, it may be a good idea to get tested, but consult your clinical geneticist/genetic counsellor.
• Visit a cancer genetics clinic and have a team of trained healthcare professionals to check if you qualify for genetic testing. You should also ask the experts about the pros and cons of the test.

In India, the cost of these tests starts at ₹15,000.

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Which Parent Can Pass On Breast Cancer Gene?

According to research published in the National Cancer Institute, a child can inherit breast cancer genes 1 and 2 from either of the parents. If a parent has any of the two genes, the child is 50% more likely to develop cancer.

The study pointed out that about 13% of women around the world will develop breast cancer at one point in their lives. "At least, 55%–72% of women who inherit the BRCA1 variant and 45%–69% of women who inherit the BRCA2 variant will develop the cancer by 70–80 years of age," the study pointed out.

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If you have any doubts, you should speak to an expert. If you know someone who is struggling with the disease, stand in their support and help them overcome this situation.