Is cancer transmitted by inheritance? How is cancer transmitted?

Cancer is one of the most terrible diseases that any person can have. They are called malignant tumors, formed in various parts of the body.

How does cancer develop?

Doctors believe that the onset of cancer is a confluence of internal and external factors. The first means a significant reduction in the level of nonspecific immunity that is available to each person, and the second - the impact of harmful substances and the resulting genetic mutations.

Cells mutate, their atypical division begins, benign and malignant tumors are formed. The first or in no way interfere with the person, or they can be removed without consequences for the body. But malignant tumors are cancer. There are a large number of species of this disease. Some can be cured, some fatal in the vast majority of cases.

For what reason can the oncological disease as a result develop, nobody knows. There is no exact answer to this question. Therefore, many people are concerned about how cancer is transmitted. Is it possible to get infected from the patient by contact? Is cancer transmitted by inheritance? No, cancer does not get airborne, and yes, there is a risk of getting such genes.

Cancer in the inheritance

In many people, cancer has taken away the closest and dearest. So many innocent children suffer from this terrible disease! Involuntarily you ask yourself this question: "What if a newly born child has this illness, because there were relatives who suffered from oncology?" After all, no one will give a one hundred percent guarantee that a person will not show this pathology.

There are families who are so afraid that their future baby will inherit cancer, which completely refuses to have children.

People who could overcome a serious illness, in most cases, do not dare to plan pregnancy.

Cancer and children

Children's age is characterized by such types of cancer that do not occur in adults, and vice versa.

Scientists are sure that the gene component becomes the fault of the development of cancer. After a lot of research, it was determined that in the vast majority of cases, childhood oncological diseases begin to develop during the intrauterine period. They are related to gene mutations or genetic anomalies. So far, scientists can not give an unambiguous answer to the question of how genetic pathologies manifest themselves, but studies in this area have been conducted for a very long time.

Mutation affects the formation of organs, are disturbed and the formation of body tissues. The high activity of children's metabolism leads to the rapid development of tumors.

The most frequent cases in children are hereditary predisposition to cancer of two types: nephroblastoma and retinoblastoma. Often the tumor is accompanied by the vices of different organs. Sometimes they are plural.

Future parents can find out what is the probability that their child will inherit an oncological disease. Leading geneticists, closely involved in the study of this disease, have developed a test for cancer, which will show the percentage probability of transmission of the disease.

Necessity of genetic counseling

So, is cancer transmitted by inheritance? Even one case of cancer in the family gives cause for concern about their own health and about how it will be in future children. As a preventive measure, you should lead a healthy lifestyle, as well as regularly undergo examinations.

If cancer of one type was found in the family not in one but in several people, it is necessary to consult an oncologist and genetics. All family members are at risk. In time, the measures taken can prevent the disease. Or regular examinations will detect the cancer at an early stage.

Disease studies

Some people seriously think about how the cancer is transmitted, and whether they will get infected while communicating with the patient. This behavior is unreasonable, because oncology sexual or airborne droplets do not pick up.

Common factors of tumor development are:

• Genetic predisposition.
• Carcinogens in some substances.
• Viral infections.
• Stress and nervous tension.

Frequent hereditary neoplasms

In some families there is a mutated gene, which leads to cases of the disease of a certain type of oncology. The most common types:

• Breast cancer. This type is the most common female oncological disease. Hereditary mutation of the genes BRK1 and BRK2 gives 95% of the fact that a woman will have this malignant process. Predisposition to cancer, that is, if the direct relatives had such a disease, increases the risk by half.

• Cancer of the ovaries. Until recently, scientists were sure that if the disease was diagnosed in elderly patients, it means that it was not transmitted at the gene level. Not so long ago, German scientists denied this assertion. It does not matter at what age the "malignant tumor" was diagnosed. Its presence means that the risk of developing the disease in direct relatives doubles.
• Cancer of the stomach and damage to the digestive system. 10% of all types of these diseases are family. An impetus to the development of the tumor becomes inflammation of the gastric mucosa and the formation of ulcers.
• Lungs' cancer. This type of malignant tumor is the most common. Smoking increases the chance of getting the disease, since tobacco smoke provokes a cellular mutation. Scientists from England were able to determine that this type of tumor also shows a high family inclination. An impetus to the development of the disease becomes a patient's smoking. If the disease is detected at an early stage, it can be cured. At the last stage, this is an inoperable swelling.
• Prostate cancer. This neoplasm is not considered to be inherited, but if a man has this disease, the risk of predisposition to direct relatives is high.
• Cancer of the large intestine. Most often this neoplasm is independent. Genetic predisposition is noted in 30% of cases, when polyposis of the intestine is transmitted hereditarily. It can be both benign and malignant tumors. At some point in life polyps are transformed and become cancerous.
• Thyroid cancer. If a person received radiation exposure in childhood, the development of this type of cancer is highly likely.

Substances that lead to tumors

Specialists identify a number of substances that cause genetic mutations in humans. Earlier one substance was already called - tobacco smoke. Also, neoplasms can develop due to the inhalation of chemical vapor in patients, in particular, asbestos. Air pollution increases the risk of getting a malignant tumor.

Highly active radiation radiation leads to mutation of cells and, as a consequence, to the development of cancer.

In modern society, many genetically modified products are produced. Frequent use of them can lead to mutation of cells in the body and the formation of tumors.

The papilloma virus

This type of virus can lead to the development of a disease such as cervical cancer. Scientists have proved a direct link between them. And already here at the question of how cancer is transmitted, it can be confirmed with a little confidence that he is able to be transmitted and sexually. Papillomavirus infection is picked up in this way. You should not be afraid - the risk of developing the disease is very small, since this virus already exists in almost every second person.

If many types of cancer occur with a deterioration in overall well-being, then this is asymptomatic. The disease develops after a rapid and significant decrease in immunity. Scientists have developed a vaccine that can prevent this disease, but it is only allowed to introduce it to those who have not started sex.

Stress

Nervous tension can contribute to the formation of cancer. The tumor arises because of the strong oppression of all the body's defense systems and the subsequent physiological mutations.

Oncological genetics

Scientists are constantly studying the types of cancer and ways to fight the disease. They develop ways to identify mutated genes that lead to the development of melanoma, breast cancer, gastrointestinal tract and pancreas.

The Institute of Oncology is developing all new tests, which allow to identify a tendency to the disease and begin treatment. Probably, in the future it will be possible to determine the risk of developing cancer by a routine blood test.

So far, there are many cases when a person learns about cancer only when he has an inoperable swelling. All that doctors can do is conduct chemotherapy to slow the progression of the disease and delay the patient's death.

Finally

Cancer is a terrible disease, but not always a verdict. If the diagnosis is made at an early stage, and the patient undergoes a full course of treatment, the likelihood of a full recovery is high. Medicine does not stand still, scientists are developing all new ways of early diagnosis of the disease.

As cancer is transmitted, it does not matter. Genetic predisposition to the disease does not mean that a person will by all means get sick of it. Everyone has cells that, under certain circumstances, become cancerous. Regular examination, sensitive attitude to one's own health, the right way of life - and the disease does not arise.