What Your Genes Tell You About Your Risk Of Having Cancer

Inside almost every cell in your body is a structure called the nucleus, which acts as the brain of the cell. It helps control movement, eating, and reproduction. The nucleus contains 23 pairs of chromosomes made from strands of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Segments of DNA called “genes” are coded messages that tell cells how to behave. They are instructions on how our bodies grow and develop. Mutations in the genes cause all kinds of problems to the body, including cancer.

All cancers grow because of one or more mistakes in genes in a cell. It usually takes six or more …read more