What is a hereditary cancer syndrome?

A hereditary cancer syndrome, also called a family cancer syndrome, is a rare inherited condition in which family members have a higher-than-average risk of a certain type or types of cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, it is caused by inherited changes in certain cancer-related genes.

With some syndromes, cancers tend to appear at young ages or come with other, non-cancer health conditions. Examples include hereditary breast and ovarian cancer linked to BRCA1 and BRCA2, Lynch syndrome, and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), which is caused by inherited changes in the APC gene.

Inheriting a syndrome raises risk but does not guarantee cancer — a person needs fewer additional DNA changes for a cell to become cancerous, but may never develop them. Up to 10 percent of all cancers may be linked to inherited changes.