Gilbert, AZ
A 42-year-old female asked:
Is lung cancer hereditary?
6 doctor answers • 15 doctors weighed in
Dr. Nathaniel Evans IIIanswered
Surgery - Thoracic 21 years experience
Rarely: The vast majority of lung cancer is thought to be caused by tobacco exposure. A small percentage of the lung cancer cases in non smokers are thought to be hereditary.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. David Cookeanswered
Thoracic Surgery 24 years experience
Unclear: Non or never smokers can develop lung cancer if they have a genetic mutation to such genes as egfr or eml4/alk fusion translocation. For more info: http://bit.Ly/ygfoko.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Vamsidhar Velchetianswered
Internal Medicine - Oncology 10 years experience
See below: There are no defined familial lung cancer syndromes; however, mutations in certain regions of the genome have higher incidence of lung cancer; some inherited changes in metabolic pathway genes may increase risk for carcinogensis from smoking.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Gurmukh Singhanswered
Pathology 51 years experience
In part: Heredity plays a role in most diseases, including lung cancer, however here are more important factors in the etiology of lung cancer, especially smoking. See this site for more information.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/pmh0004529/.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
Dr. Raja Mudadanswered
Medical Oncology 34 years experience
Possible but not com: It is rare to have hereditary lung cancer, but not impossible. Several factors predispose to lung cancer, but the most significant one is controllable, like smoking
do not smoke ever and you significantly reduce your chances of getting lung cancer.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
Dr. David Cookeanswered
Thoracic Surgery 24 years experience
Unclear: Non or never smokers can develop lung cancer if they have a genetic mutation to such genes as egfr or eml4/alk fusion translocation. For more info: http://bit.Ly/ygfoko.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
Similar questions
A 41-year-old male asked:
Is lung cancer hereditary? And if so how can I protect myself?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Creighton Wrightanswered
surgery 58 years experience
To a degree: Some we know, some not clear
some genetic propensity
80% related to toxins from smoking.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated May 28, 2017
People also asked
Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere.
24/7 visits - just $44!
50% off with $19/month membership
Disclaimer:
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.