Hereditary or inherited breast cancer can develop because of a gene mutation (alteration) that has been passed down from a parent.
It’s less common than most people think – only 5-10% of all breast cancers are hereditary. Around eight out of 10 women who get breast cancer don’t have any family history of the disease. Most breast cancers are sporadic, which means they occurred by chance or due to factors other than an inherited mutation.
Should you be referred?
If you have close relatives with breast or ovarian cancer, you might need to be referred for genetic assessment. Find out about your level of inherited risk.
Inherited risk FAQs
Everything you need to know about breast cancer in families.
Risk-reducing options
If you have a confirmed cancer-causing genetic mutation, you may want to discuss these risk-reducing options with your doctor.
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Silvia's story
Silvia was one of the first woman in New Zealand to be diagnosed with the BRCA1 gene mutation.
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Webinar: Genetic Risk of Breast Cancer
Watch our webinar on the inherited risk of breast cancer, including the BRCA1/2 mutations, as well as other lesser-known mutations.