Is Lung Cancer Hereditary? Understanding Your Family Risk
Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, and it is also one with a high mortality rate. While smoking remains the leading cause, many people wonder whether lung cancer can also run in families. The answer is yes; lung cancer can have a hereditary component, although it’s not as straightforward as with some other cancers, like breast or colon cancer. Genetic Factors and Family History If you have a parent, brother, or sister who's had lung cancer , you're two or three times more likely to get this cancer than someone without a family history of the condition. But you need to put that risk in perspective. Your overall risk is still very low. Having a parent or sibling with lung cancer doesn't mean you'll get the disease. Only about 8% of lung cancers run in families. Researchers have identified certain gene mutations that may predispose someone to lung cancer. For example, changes in the TP53, EGFR, and ALK genes have been linked to an increased risk. Some peo...