Hereditary Gynecologic Cancers

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Familial or inherited cancer happens when gene mutations are passed from generation to generation in a family. About 10 percent of cancers are thought to be caused by these inherited gene mutations while the remaining 90 percent of cancers are caused by environmental factors—or are due to causes we do not yet understand.

Gene mutations mean genes form in such a way that they change the original function of that gene. This may lead to cancer.

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