Kavita Das Kavita Das Asked 9 months ago

Is cancer a genetic disease?

My grandmother and mother both had a certain type of cancer. My doctor asked me about our family history. Does this mean cancer is a genetic disease, and I should be more concerned?

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5 answers

Kabir Mehta Kabir Mehta Joined Mar 2026 8 months ago
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Yeah, it is considered genetic because it's caused by changes in our genes that control cell growth. But that doesn't mean it's always inherited from your parents; most mutations happen during our lifetime due to other stuff.

Shreya Deshmukh Shreya Deshmukh Joined Jun 2026 4 months ago

Yes, cancer is fundamentally a genetic disease because it is driven by DNA mutations. However, only about 5 to 10 percent of cases are hereditary, while the rest are sporadic. An oncologist can help you understand this distinction clearly.

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Consult a radiation oncologist

Sunita Rao Sunita Rao Joined Mar 2026 8 months ago

Yes, it involves genetic mutations. Just like managing my diabetes which also has genetic roots, keeping a very close watch on what we eat, keeping sugar low, and regular screening is the best way to manage health risks.

Rajesh Verma Rajesh Verma Joined Mar 2026 8 months ago

It has genetic links, but our lifestyle also plays a huge role. Instead of worrying too much about family history, we should focus on what we can control, like avoiding smoking, eating home-cooked food, and getting yearly health checkups.

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Aditya Nair Aditya Nair Joined May 2026 6 months ago

Medically, yes, it's a disease of the genome. Many modern health apps actually offer genetic predisposition screening tests now, which is super cool if you want to understand your personal health risks better.

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