Is Anaplastic astrocytoma inherited ?
Are anaplastic astrocytomas inherited? Anaplastic astrocytomas are usually not inherited. These tumors typically occur sporadically, in people with no family history of astrocytomas. In most cases, the exact cause is unknown. Familial cases of isolated astrocytomas have been reported but are very rare. Astrocytomas can have a genetic link when they are associated with a few rare, inherited disorders. These include neurofibromatosis type I, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Turcot syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis. Astrosytomas occur more frequently in people with one of these disorders. Like many other cancers, it is believed that isolated astrocytomas may occur due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. This means that a person may carry a gene (or a combination of genes) that predisposes them to developing an astrocytoma, but it may not develop unless it is "triggered" by an environmental factor.