The Risk Table: Population vs Hereditary
[ Published Figures · NCCN-Referenced ]| Cancer | General Population Risk | Hereditary Risk | Key Genes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ovarian | ~1.3% | Up to 44% (BRCA1); ~17% (BRCA2) | BRCA1, BRCA2, RAD51C, RAD51D, BRIP1, Lynch genes (MLH1/MSH2/MSH6) |
| Colorectal | ~4% | Up to 80% (Lynch syndrome) | MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, EPCAM, APC, STK11, MUTYH |
| Pancreatic | ~1.6% | Up to ~10% with high-penetrance variants | BRCA2, ATM, CDKN2A, PALB2, STK11, Lynch genes |
Figures reflect published population and hereditary-risk estimates cited in NCCN guideline discussions. Individual risk depends on the specific variant, family history, and other factors — which is why results come with a genetic counselor, not just a number.
Cancer By Cancer: What The Genes Do
[ Ovarian · Colorectal · Pancreatic ]The Silent One, Made Visible
Ovarian cancer is rarely caught early because there is no effective routine screening — which makes genetic risk knowledge disproportionately valuable. BRCA1 carriers face up to 44% lifetime risk; RAD51C, RAD51D, and BRIP1 add meaningful risk that single-gene BRCA tests miss entirely. Knowing status unlocks surveillance (CA-125 + transvaginal ultrasound) and risk-reducing options under NCCN guidance.
The Most Preventable One
Colorectal cancer is uniquely surveillable: colonoscopy finds and removes precancerous polyps before they turn. Lynch syndrome (MLH1/MSH2/MSH6/PMS2/EPCAM) drives risk to up to 80% — but with colonoscopy every 1–2 years from age 20–25, most Lynch-related cancers are caught early or never happen. APC (familial adenomatous polyposis) and MUTYH add further hereditary pathways. See our Lynch syndrome guide.
The One Everyone Asks About
Pancreatic cancer has a ~1.6% lifetime population risk and a fearsome reputation. Pathogenic variants in BRCA2, ATM, CDKN2A, and PALB2 can raise that to roughly 10% — a threshold where NCCN recommends considering annual pancreatic surveillance (MRI/MRCP or endoscopic ultrasound) in high-risk individuals. Ten percent is not destiny; it is a surveillance plan.
Why One Panel Beats Three Single Tests
[ 108 Genes, One Swab ]Single-gene tests made sense when panels were expensive. They no longer do. The same families often carry risk spanning ovarian, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer simultaneously — BRCA2 alone touches all three. A narrow test can return “negative” while a pathogenic variant sits in a gene nobody looked at.
One Variant, Three Cancers
BRCA2: breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic. Lynch syndrome: colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, stomach, pancreatic. CDKN2A: melanoma and pancreatic. Testing one gene at a time misses the pattern.
What GeneCancer Covers
BRCA1/2, all five Lynch genes, APC, TP53, PTEN, CDH1, STK11, PALB2, CHEK2, ATM, RAD51C/D, BRIP1, CDKN2A, MUTYH, and 90+ additional cancer-susceptibility genes — in one cheek-swab panel at up to 99.9% analytical accuracy.
Not sure where to start? Read Understanding Hereditary Cancer Risk, check the post-positive-result guide, or take the 2-minute test finder quiz.
Know The Numbers Before They Matter.
[ GeneCancer · 108 Genes ]
Ovarian, colorectal, and pancreatic hereditary risk in one at-home panel — BRCA1/2, Lynch genes, ATM, PALB2, and 100+ more. CLIA-certified ISO 15189 lab, up to 99.9% analytical accuracy, results in 5–7 days (48-hour priority available). $499 one-time or $89/mo with all 11 tests ($59/mo billed annually, $712/yr). 30-day money-back guarantee.
Hereditary Cancer Risk By Type — FAQs
General-population lifetime ovarian cancer risk is roughly 1.3%. A pathogenic BRCA1 variant raises it to up to 44%, and BRCA2 to roughly 17%. Genes beyond BRCA — RAD51C, RAD51D, BRIP1, and the Lynch syndrome genes — also carry elevated ovarian risk, which is why comprehensive panels matter.
Up to 80% lifetime, versus about 4% in the general population. The key point: that figure applies to carriers who don't know their status. With colonoscopy every 1–2 years starting at 20–25 — the NCCN-aligned schedule — most Lynch-related colorectal cancers are prevented or caught at their earliest, most treatable stage.
Population lifetime risk is about 1.6%. Variants in BRCA2, ATM, CDKN2A, and PALB2 can raise it to around 10%, at which point NCCN guidelines support discussing annual pancreatic surveillance imaging. If two or more close relatives have had pancreatic cancer — or one relative plus breast, ovarian, or colon cancer in the family — a hereditary panel is a reasonable step.
Because hereditary risk overlaps. The same variant can raise ovarian, colorectal, and pancreatic risk simultaneously, and families often carry risk in genes nobody suspected. A BRCA-only test returns 'negative' even when a pathogenic Lynch or ATM variant is present. One 108-gene panel closes that gap in a single test.
Everything downstream: earlier and more intensive screening (MRI, colonoscopy, CA-125), eligibility for risk-reducing options, insurance coverage for enhanced surveillance under NCCN criteria, and cascade testing for relatives who each have a 50% chance of sharing the variant.
GeneCancer analyzes 108 genes from an at-home cheek swab — $499 one-time or included with the $89/month membership ($59/mo billed annually, $712/yr). Results arrive in 5–7 days (48-hour priority available) from a CLIA-certified, ISO 15189 lab at up to 99.9% analytical accuracy, with a genetic counselor included for positive results.