New Delhi, July 1 -- justify;">Cancer relapse is a complex mechanism and influenced by many factors. Tumour is heterogenous and constantly evolving. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Anjali Kulkarni, Vice President - RWE Strategy and Analytics and Oncologist at 4baseCare, explained, "Some patients may have germline mutations (e.g., BRCA1/2) that increase not only risk of cancer but also risk of recurrence. In a few cases, there can be defects in genes that help repair DNA (e.g., TP53, ATM, CHEK2) can lead to relapse due to failure to correct genetic damage."

About 5-10% of cancers are caused by inherited gene mutations (abnormalities). Dr Anjali Kulkarni shared, "Even if you already have cancer, having inherited mutation may mean you...