Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment
What is Hereditary Cancer?
Most cancers happen by chance. They are not passed down through families. Hereditary cancer means the cancer runs in families. This happens because of genes passed down from parents to children. Genes are part of what makes you who you are. About 5-10% of cancers are hereditary.
Cancer might be hereditary when:
- Many family members have the same cancer
- People get cancer when they are young (for example, before 50).
- A person has had more than one cancer.
- A person has had a rare cancer (for example, a man getting breast cancer)
Some examples of cancers that can be hereditary are:
- Breast Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
What Is a Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment?
A Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment (HCRA) is a quick health screening that helps your doctor understand your cancer risk. It’s a routine part of your care — not because something is wrong, but to help keep you healthy.
How Is an HCRA Done?
Before meeting with your doctor, you will be asked to fill out a short survey. The survey usually takes about 2–4 minutes. The survey will ask questions like:
- Have you ever had cancer?
- Has any of your family members had cancer? At what age?
Your doctor will review your answers with you. Based on your answers, your doctor may:
- Recommend regular cancer screenings
- Suggest meeting with a genetic counselor
- Order additional tests
- Create a prevention plan with you
Who Should Get an HCRA?
We offer HCRA to all adults over age 25 as part of routine care. This is done every year during your visit. If there are any changes to your family history between visits, please let your doctor know. This helps your healthcare team provide the best care for you.
Why should I complete an HCRA?
An HCRA can provide important information about your health. Here are some of the ways it can:
- Help you understand your cancer risk
- Help you learn about your family’s health history
- Help you make a personalized health plan with your doctor
- Help prevent cancer or catch it early to protect you and your family.
Why Does Family History Matter?
Some types of cancer can run in families. This happens because of genes – instructions in your body that you inherit from your parents. If cancer runs in your family, you might have a higher chance of getting certain types of cancer.
Remember
Having a family history of cancer doesn’t mean you will get cancer. It just means you and your doctor should pay extra attention to your health and may recommend additional screenings or ways to prevent cancer.
Questions? Talk to your healthcare provider about your HCRA results and what they mean for your health.
