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Family history is considered a risk factor for various diseases, and breast cancer is no exception. According to Cancer Research UK, having a first degree relative, which includes a mother, sister or daughter, diagnosed with breast cancer approximately doubles a woman’s risk for breast cancer. However, the American Cancer Society notes that only about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary. Hereditary cases of breast cancer are those that result directly from gene mutations passed on from a parent. The relatively small percentage of hereditary cases is important to note, as it means that the vast majority of women who are diagnosed with the disease have no family history of breast cancer.