On this page:
- What is hereditary ovarian cancer?
- How does hereditary ovarian cancer develop?
- How are gene variants passed on?
- Who can be tested for hereditary ovarian cancer (germline testing)?
- Genetic testing with epithelial ovarian cancer
- Which genes are tested?
- Genetic testing with a family history of ovarian cancer
- Who is offered testing for other gene variants?
- Communities with a higher risk of having inherited gene variants
Watch our video to find out more about hereditary ovarian cancer, genetic variants and genetic testing for ovarian cancer.
If you have a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, it’s common to think about what caused it. You may worry that your family members are at risk of developing cancer.
Cancer is a common illness. It’s not unusual for more than one person in a family to have cancer. Sometimes different types of cancer can happen in the same family. In most cases this happens by chance. But in some families, there may be an inherited genetic cause that increases the chance of certain cancers, such as ovarian cancer.
What is hereditary ovarian cancer?
Hereditary ovarian cancer is when the cancer runs in families. Up to 20 per cent (1 in every 5) of ovarian cancer cases happen because of a genetic variant that increases the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Genetic variants can be inherited and passed on through families. You may hear hereditary ovarian cancer called familial ovarian cancer.
Some types of ovarian cancer are more likely to be caused by an inherited gene variant. The most common type of ovarian cancer, high-grade serous epithelial, is most strongly linked to genetic variants. Other types, like mucinous or germ cell ovarian cancers are less commonly caused by inherited gene changes.
If you’re diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may be offered genetic testing to check whether the cancer is caused by a genetic variant.
How does hereditary ovarian cancer develop?
Your body is made up of tiny building blocks called cells. In each cell is a chemical called DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA acts as the cell’s instruction manual. It tells the cell how to work and behave.
Sections of DNA make up genes. Your genes are instructions for different parts of your body. For example, you have a gene for the colour of your eyes. Genes also tell your cells:
what type of cell to be
how to behave and grow
when to die.
Sometimes genes can have small changes in their DNA. These are called gene variants. You may also hear them called pathogenic variants, mutations, faulty genes or disease-causing alterations.
Some gene variants don’t affect your body. But others can stop a cell from working properly now or in the future.
Certain gene variants can increase your chance of developing some types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. This doesn’t mean you will get cancer, but it means the chance of it is higher than someone without the gene variant.
