The Gift of Knowledge: Using Holiday Moments to Understand Your Family’s Cancer Risk

Cancer is notorious for a reason. It’s one of the toughest diagnoses we face, and it’s common—40% of Americans will be diagnosed in their lifetime, and for cancers like breast and colorectal, the age of onset is trending earlier. Yet many people reach adulthood, and even midlife, without a clear understanding of their own cancer risk.

One of the simplest, most overlooked places to begin building that understanding is your family history.

Cancer often runs in families—not just in our genes, but in our patterns. Many cancers, such as breast, ovarian, colorectal, prostate, and pancreatic, have well-established hereditary components. In fact, 36% of Americans have a first-degree family history of cancer, which should prompt deeper evaluation. But in reality, it often doesn’t.