Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment
HEREDITARY CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT
A hereditary cancer syndrome is a genetic predisposition to certain types of cancer caused by inherited mutations in one or more genes. Women with a genetic predisposition to gynecologic cancers tend to have cancer diagnosed at a younger-than-average age.
The most common hereditary cancer syndromes related to gynecologic cancer include hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC; typically caused by mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes), Lynch syndrome, Li–Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, and Peutz–Jeghers syndrome.
When genetic testing identifies women with increased risk of gynecologic cancers, options such as scheduled cancer screening, surgery to remove organs at risk, or medications which might lower cancer risk can be considered.
Learn more:
http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/brca-fact-sheet
http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/hereditary-breast-and-ovarian-cancer