National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Familial breast cancer

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Not a rare disease Not a rare disease
Other Names:
Breast cancer, familial; Heritable breast cancer; Genetic breast cancer; Breast cancer, familial; Heritable breast cancer; Genetic breast cancer; Hereditary breast cancer; Hereditary breast carcinoma; Familial breast carcinoma See More
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Familial breast cancer is a cluster of breast cancer within a family. Most cases of breast cancer occur sporadically in people with little to no family history of the condition. Approximately 5-10% of breast cancer is considered "hereditary" and is thought to be caused by an inherited predisposition to breast cancer that is passed down through a family in an autosomal dominant manner. In some of these families, the underlying genetic cause is not known; however, many of these cases are caused by changes (mutations) in the BRCA1, BRCA2, PTEN, TP53, CDH1, or STK11 genes (which are each associated with a unique hereditary cancer syndrome). Additional genes, such as CHEK2, BRIP1, RAD51, and ATM, are associated with breast and/or gynecologic cancers in some cases. About 15-20% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a significant family history of breast cancer (two or more first-degree or second-degree relatives with breast cancer) but have no identifiable mutation in a gene known to cause a hereditary predisposition to breast cancer. These clusters of breast cancer are likely due to a combination of gene(s) and other shared factors such as environment and lifestyle.[1][2][3]

High-risk cancer screening and other preventative measures such as chemoprevention and/or prophylactic surgeries are typically recommended in women who have an increased risk for breast cancer based on their personal and/or family histories.[4]
Last updated: 8/30/2017

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
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HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Breast carcinoma
Breast cancer
0003002
Somatic mutation 0001428
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Last updated: 7/1/2020
Most cases of breast cancer occur sporadically in people with little to no family history of the condition. They are due to random changes (mutations) that occur only in the cells of the breast. These mutations (called somatic mutations) accumulate during a person's lifetime and are not inherited or passed on to future generations.[1]

Approximately 15-20% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a significant family history of breast cancer (two or more first-degree or second-degree relatives with breast cancer) but have no identifiable mutation in a gene known to cause a hereditary predisposition to breast cancer. These clusters of breast cancer are likely due to a combination of gene(s) and other shared factors such as environment and lifestyle.[3]

An additional 5-10% of breast cancer is considered "hereditary." These cases are thought to be caused by an inherited predisposition to breast cancer that is passed down through a family in an autosomal dominant manner. In some of these families, the underlying genetic cause is not known. However, many of these cases are part of a hereditary cancer syndrome. The following cancer syndromes are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and several other types of cancer:[1][2][3] Of note, some research suggests that inherited mutations in several other genes (including CHEK2, BRIP1, ATM, PALB2, RAD51, BARD1, MRE11A, NBN, and RAD50) may also be associated with an increased risk for breast cancer. However, the risk associated with many of these genes is not well understood. Most are termed "moderate- or low-penetrant" genes which means that, on their own, they would be expected to have a relatively small effect on breast cancer risk. However, in combination with other genes and/or environmental factors, these genes may lead to a significant risk of breast cancer.[1][3][2]
Last updated: 8/31/2017
Most cases of breast cancer occur sporadically in people with little to no family history of the condition. However, approximately 5-10% is thought to be inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. In these cases, a person is born with a mutation in a gene known to cause a hereditary predisposition to breast cancer and has a 50% chance with each pregnancy of passing along the mutated gene to his or her child. A person only needs a mutation in one copy of the responsible gene in each cell to have an increased risk for breast cancer. In some cases, a person with familial breast cancer inherits the mutation from a parent who has had or has familial breast cancer. Other cases may result from new (de novo) mutations in the gene.[1][2][3] 

An additional 15-20% of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a significant family history of breast cancer (two or more first-degree or second-degree relatives who have or have had breast cancer) but the cancer follows no clear pattern of inheritance. These cases of breast cancer may be due to inherited gene(s); shared factors such as environment and lifestyle; or a combination of all these factors.[3]
Last updated: 8/31/2017

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.
Management of familial breast cancer is generally focused on high-risk cancer screening to allow for early detection and treatment of cancer. In general, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends high-risk breast cancer screening for women who have: (1) a personal and family history suggestive of a hereditary cancer syndrome that is associated with breast cancer or (2) a greater than 20% risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetime based largely on family history. The recommended screening protocol includes:[4]
  • Breast awareness and breast self-exams
  • Clinical breast exams every 6-12 months beginning at age 30 or individualized based on the earliest breast cancer diagnosis in the family
  • Annual mammogram and breast MRI beginning at age 30 or individualized based on the earliest breast cancer diagnosis in the family
  • Discussion of other risk reduction strategies such as chemoprevention and/or prophylactic surgeries
If the familial breast cancer is part of a known hereditary cancer syndrome, management will also include screening for the other associated cancers. Please click on the following links for more information regarding the treatment and management of each condition:
Last updated: 8/31/2017

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Familial breast cancer. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Organizations Providing General Support

Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

  • The Assistance Fund provides various services, including education and financial aid, to help patients with a chronic or serious illness cover the cost of FDA-approved medications. Patients must be U.S citizens or permanent residents.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Familial breast cancer. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • The National Cancer Institute provides the most current information on cancer for patients, health professionals, and the general public.
  • The National Human Genome Research Institute's (NHGRI) website has an information page on this topic. NHGRI is part of the National Institutes of Health and supports research on the structure and function of the human genome and its role in health and disease.

In-Depth Information

  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Familial breast cancer. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Genetics of Breast and Gynecologic Cancers (PDQ®). National Cancer Institute. 2017; http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/genetics/breast-and-ovarian/HealthProfessional.
  2. Shiovitz S, Korde LA. Genetics of breast cancer: a topic in evolution. Ann Oncol. January 2015; [Epub ahead of print]:
  3. Economopoulou P, Dimitriadis G, Psyrri A. Beyond BRCA: new hereditary breast cancer susceptibility genes. Cancer Treat Rev. January 2015; 41(1):1-8.
  4. Bevers T. Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. January 2014;