When to Consider the Diagnosis of a Familial or Hereditary Cancer

• had the tumor diagnosed at an unusually early age?

• have multiple primary tumors arising simultaneously in the same organ?

• have bilateral primary tumors in a paired organ?

• have 2 or more different primary tumors?

• have a close relative with the same or a related tumor?

• belong to a family with a high rate of cancer?

• belong to a family known to have a specific genetic mutation or disorder?

• have a congenital anomaly or birth defect?

• have forebears from a genetic group with a high rate of hereditary disorders such as Ashkenazi Jews?

Was the patient adopted?

Is there some question about the patient's paternity?

Are there any surviving relatives available for testing?

Is the medical history supplied by relatives unreliable or incomplete?

Are the health records for family members incomplete or unreliable?