Under what circumstances is cancer considered to have a hereditary component?

The gene is the heritable information that is transferred from one generation to the other generation. The changes in the normal sequential arrangement of the gene are known as mutations.

A mutation is an alteration in the genetic material, such as DNA present in the coding region, resulting in cancer formation. The changes in the coding region tend to alter the structure of a protein that synthesizes from the DNA.

A proto-oncogene is a gene that codes for the proteins that can control the cell cycle process. The proteins produced from the proto-oncogenes are cyclins and Cdks. It is involved in the regulation of the cell death mechanism in the body.

Tumor suppressor genes are the genes that control the repair mechanism, cell division, and apoptosis mechanism.

The transfer of characters from the parent to the offspring is known as heredity. The component that is responsible for cancer is the mutated genes.

The oncogene (cancerous gene) inheritance from the parent to the offspring occurs due to the mutated gene in the germline cells of the parents.

Another reason for cancer is the presence of a mutant allele in the tumor suppressor gene. The mutated alleles are formed by the mutation that happens in these genes. The mutated allele suppresses the activity of the tumor suppressor gene.

The inheritance possibility of mutation in the oncogene and tumor suppressor in causing cancer is lesser. The mutation present in both the genes is usually acquired. The acquired mutations are due to the exposure to radiation and ingestion of toxic chemicals via food.