Hereditary Cancer Clinic

We provide individualized care for you and your family to reduce the risk of hereditary cancer.

Why choose UCSF Health for hereditary cancer care?

If you or a member of your family carries an inherited change (mutation) in a cancer-causing gene, we can help. Our Hereditary Cancer Clinic, part of our Cancer Risk, Prevention and Early Detection (CRPED) program, is specifically designed for people with hereditary cancer risk.

Specialists across many fields work together to evaluate your risk level and design a personalized plan to minimize your chances of developing cancer. Our mission is to save lives by preventing disease or detecting it early, so you can get treatment as soon as possible.

Coordinated care

We arrange the appropriate screenings, tests and specialist referrals to provide care that’s tailored to your needs.

Groundbreaking research

We are at the forefront of research linking gene mutations with more than 100 hereditary disorders that increase the risk of certain cancers.

Newest cancer prevention and early diagnosis tools

We participate in clinical trials to give you access to promising new diagnostic tests and therapies that may not be available elsewhere.

Specialized expertise

Our clinicians consult at hereditary cancer tumor boards for breast, gynecologic, gastrointestinal and other cancers.

Hereditary Cancer Clinic services

Our breadth of expertise in hereditary cancers is unmatched in the region. We screen for and diagnose all types of genetic syndromes that can lead to higher risk of cancer (malignancy) in the family. Our clinics care for people with inherited genetic mutations that may increase the risk for many different types of cancer, enabling you to get all the services you need in one place.

Some of our areas of expertise include:

• Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome
• Hereditary melanoma
• Li-Fraumeni syndrome
• Lynch syndrome
• Neurofibromatosis
• Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome

We also specialize in specific genetic mutations, including:

• ATM
• BRCA1 and BRCA2
• CHEK2
• HBOC
• PALB2
• TP53

Our Hereditary Cancer Clinic provides:

• Genetic counseling. Certified genetic counselors evaluate your family history, explain your risk for cancer and coordinate genetic testing for you and your relatives.
• Genetic testing. We use a blood or saliva sample to find out if you have a predisposition for cancer. Your genetic counselor explains the results and guides you on next steps.
• Screenings. People with an inherited risk for cancer often need more frequent or enhanced cancer screenings. Our team manages this cancer screening, such as mammogram and breast MRI.
• Preventive cancer care. People at high risk of certain cancers may benefit from risk-reducing medication or surgery. For example, a mastectomy and chemotherapy may prevent breast cancer in people with a BRCA mutation.
• Specialist referrals. We connect you to the appropriate specialists when needed. Your providers work together to provide timely, streamlined care.
• Follow-up care. We offer the option of long-term monitoring for anyone who has an inherited risk for cancer. We update you about advances in hereditary cancer and invite you to participate in our important research.