[Molecular basis of hereditary cancers]

Cancer susceptibility but not specific cancer types can be inherited. This susceptibility(ies) is due to inherited germline mutations of key genes of the controllers of genome integrity, translational control, the cell cycle regulation or even the tumor vascularization. Cancer susceptibility can be manifested in various forms of specific syndromes, each associated with different alterations of genes. Most of these genes are tumor suppressors, and the mutations affect one or both alleles. Interestingly, inherited mutations of oncogenes resulting in cancer susceptibility are much rarer, typically affect only one allele, and the inheritance is dominant. However, cancer susceptibility is influenced not only by high penetrance gene defects but also by inherited low penetrance gene mutations, complicating the effective identification of affected individuals and their families.