9/28/26

National Family Day & National Hereditary Cancer Week

What does your family tree have to do with cancer prevention? A whole bunch. Genetic mutations that can increase the risk of cancer can be passed down for generations. Knowing and sharing family health history and cascade genetic testing can help prevent hereditary cancer. It’s so much more than BRCA. Hereditary Cancer Week, September 27, 2026 – October 3, 2026. For more information about hereditary cancer and strategies for prevention go to www.genetionary.org Image: Tree canopy with headline text and a family tree pedigree representing a handful of generations.

Today is National Family Day. And since it occurs during National Hereditary Cancer Week, it seems like the perfect time to talk to your family about the genes you share and family health history. Is there a history of cancer in your family? Discussing your family’s health/cancer history with genetic relatives (even those separated by many degrees) then sharing that information with your health care providers could be life-saving.

For more information about hereditary cancer and strategies for prevention go to www.genetionary.org

For more detailed information, or if you have questions about your own hereditary cancer risk, please talk to your doctor and/or a certified genetic counselor.

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9/24/26

What is Hereditary Cancer? Infographic. It's so much more than BRCA

What is Hereditary Cancer? A simplified explanation. Like all cancers, the biological processes involved are varied and complex. But all hereditary cancers involve a pathogenic (capable of causing disease) genetic mutation present at conception. Everyone is born with two copies of every gene. One copy of every gene (over 20,000 of them) was inherited from each parent. Among those thousands of genes are genes working to control cell growth, repair DNA, and suppress tumors. BRCA 1 and 2 are the best known tumor suppressor genes. However, there are hundreds of other genes working to prevent cancer as well. But around 1 in 280 are born with a mutation in a gene that increases their risk of cancer. This is called a germline mutation. And that mutation is found in every cell in the body. It was likely inherited and may have been passed down for generations. (Image of two MLH1 genes.) MLH1 genes are some of the many DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. They help to identify and correct DNA errors during cell replication. Inherited mutations in MHL1 genes are associated with Lynch Syndrome, which is the most commonly inherited cancer syndrome and is linked to an increased risk for colorectal cancer and other cancers. (Image of cells dividing and acquiring mutations that lead to a tumor forming.) The cells in the body regularly divide to make new copies to replace old and damaged cells. That means the thousands of genes in each cell and the billions of bits of genetic code that determines the job of each gene gets copied over and over. The constant copying can sometimes result in random errors, called somatic mutations, in the genetic code. Over time, random mutations can happen in other genes. If, in addition to the original germline mutation, other genetic mutations accumulate in a single cell, that cell may lose function and start growing and dividing uncontrollably and develop into a tumor. Because of the involvement of the original germline mutation, this would be categorized as Hereditary Cancer. Knowing and sharing family health history and genetic testing can help identify germline mutations. And there are strategies for reducing cancer risk when a germline mutation has been identified. Learn more about genes, genetic mutations, and hereditary cancer at www.genetionary.org © Copyright Mark A. Hicks, www.genetionary.org. Created in collaboration with an Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice and Medicine-Medical Oncology and Certified Genetic Counselor. (100% human produced.)
With National Hereditary Cancer Week starting next week, I have attempted to make a simplified illustrated introduction to a very complex biological subject.

Please note: There are actually 280 babies illustrated in this graphic. I hope this helps to visually emphasize the fact that inherited genetic mutations that increase the risk of cancer are not that uncommon.

 

 

 

National Hereditary Cancer Week starts Sunday 9/27/26. It’s so much more than BRCA.

This infographic can be downloaded at www.genetionary.org/cancer. Please pass it along. 

As with many of my projects, I again got the input of an assistant professor of clinical practice and medicine-medical oncology, certified genetic counselor, and fellow hereditary cancer advocate on this project.

 
For more detailed information, or if you have questions about your own hereditary cancer risk, please talk to your doctor and/or a certified genetic counselor.


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8/24/26

Cancer Genesis Infographic

Cancer Genesis or carcinogenesis (also referred to as tumorigenesis or oncogenesis) is the complex process in which normal cells undergo genetic changes that lead to the development of malignant tumors.
Everything about cancer is extremely complex. And what causes cancer varies enormously. But how it starts, while complicated, is always genetic in nature. This infographic is only intended to provide a very basic understanding of cancer genesis. For more detailed information, or if you have questions about your own cancer risk, please talk to your doctor and/or a certified genetic counselor.

Trying to explain hereditary cancer as an advocate is difficult. This is my humble attempt to explain it simply.

The infographic can be downloaded for sharing at www.genetionary.com/cancer

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8/20/26

2026 Previvor Day Poster

A previvor is someone who has not been diagnosed with cancer but is at a higher risk for the disease due to certain inherited genetic mutations. Knowing and sharing family health history can help prevent hereditary cancer. Genetic counseling & genetic testing can save lives. It’s so much more than BRCA. Hereditary Cancer Week is September 27 - October 3, 2026 Learn more about hereditary cancer and strategies for prevention at www.genetionary.org
Previvor Day is celebrated every year on the Wednesday of National Hereditary Cancer Week. National Hereditary Cancer Week is still several weeks away (Sept. 27 - Oct. 3, 2026), but in an effort to help raise awareness well ahead of time, here is this year’s poster. Download the poster and learn more about hereditary cancer and strategies for previvorship at www.genetionary.org

Hereditary Cancer Week is a yearly event that begins on the last Sunday in September. In 2010, Congress unanimously passed a resolution creating National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week and National Previvor Day. Since then, the week has been renamed National Hereditary Cancer Week to encompass all hereditary cancers.

If you have questions about your own hereditary cancer risk, please talk to your doctor and/or a certified genetic counselor.

All materials 100% human produced.

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8/18/26

It's not Just BRCA: Hereditary Cancer Week Poster 2026

Hereditary Cancer Week Poster 2026: It’s so much more than BRCA. Hereditary Cancer Week, September 27, 2026 – October 3, 2026. For more information about hereditary cancer and strategies for prevention go to www.genetionary.org A multi-colored hereditary cancer ribbon image is prominently displayed.
National Hereditary Cancer Week is still several weeks away (Sept. 27 - Oct 3, 2026), but an early start is needed. Why? Because there is information about dozens and dozens of genes associated with hereditary cancer to be shared and one week is hardly enough time.

Obviously, not all the genes can be shared. However, some of the more notable ones will be highlighted (in random order) every weekday starting next week. Some useful infographics will also be posted as well. The highlighted genes will be shared in posts on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/markix and Instagram at www.instagram.com/genetionary_org

To start, here’s one of this year’s Hereditary Cancer Week posters. It can be downloaded for sharing here: www.genetionary.org/HCW. 


Hereditary Cancer Week is a yearly event that begins on the last Sunday in September, with National Previvor Day being celebrated on the Wednesday of that week. In 2010, Congress unanimously passed a resolution creating National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week and National Previvor Day. Since then, the week has been renamed National Hereditary Cancer Week to encompass all hereditary cancers.

Please note: For more detailed information, or if you have questions about your own hereditary cancer risk, please talk to your doctor and/or a certified genetic counselor.

All materials 100% human produced.

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8/5/26

What is Cancer?


What is cancer? A simplified explanation of a very complex disease as an infographic. All cancers begin with a single cell that has developed genetic changes (mutations) that allows the cell to divide and multiply uncontrolled. But every cancer is unique. With an illustration of a cell acquiring a mutation while dividing and becoming a tumor.
It’s a horrible disease. (Actually, it’s one label for a group of many different horrible diseases). It touches almost everybody’s life in one way or another. Billions and billions and billions of dollars have been spent trying to fight it. Countless unscrupulous individuals hawk “cures” for it on social media. Corporations stage tone-deaf events around it to try and bolster their public image, or bottom line. But few understand the biological processes that give rise to it.


In an effort to help increase understanding and raise awareness, I teamed up with an assistant professor of clinical practice and medicine-medical oncology, certified genetic counselor, and fellow hereditary cancer advocate to create this basic explanation of cancer genesis. This 8.5x14 infographic poster can be downloaded for sharing at www.genetionary.org/cancer. 

Please pass it along.

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8/1/26

The Political Press Conference I’d Like to See

The Press conference I’d like to see. A cartoon of a reporter asking a politician why he is so arrogant to remind him that he wasn’t divinely chosen. And that, in fact, he is just some random jerk who spent a lot of money winning what is basically a popularity contest. Cartoon by Mark A. Hicks, www.MARKiX.net
In my hereditary cancer advocacy, I have interacted with several of my state politicians in person. But with important national legislation, I have only spoken with congressional aides. Seems many of our politicians think they are far too important to give even 5 minutes of time to a constituent concerning a serious subject like cancer research and care. Doesn't seem to matter that cancer is a subject that likely touches the life of almost every one of their constituents in one way or another.

The cartoon is a reminder that ALL American politicians are supposed to strive for the greater good. But sadly, that rarely happens.

Among my favorite Mark Twain quotes is this gem: “Diapers and politicians need to be changed often, and for the same reason.” Just something to keep in mind this election season.

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