Is cancer hereditary?

It really depends on the type of cancer you are talking about. Some families certainly do seem to have a hereditary disposition to or colin cancer. My mother developed stomach cancer and ped away a few years ago. When I spoke to my gastroenterologist about this he stated that this kind of cancer does not appear to be hereditary. If your direct family (mother, father sister and/or brother) has cancer then you have a greater then average chance of developing cancer too.