What causes NF1?
NF1 is a genetic condition. This means that the cancer risk and other features of NF1 can be passed from generation to generation in a family. The gene commonly associated with NF1 is also called NF1. A mutation (alteration) in the NF1 gene gives a person an increased risk of developing the various symptoms of NF1, including cancer. Most people with NF1 have a mutation in the NF1 gene. It is now believed that mutation in other genes may also produce multiple nerve tumors. In particular, a different tumor suppressor gene called INI 1 may cause multiple schwannomas on nerves in some patients. This is a different disease, however, from NF1 since the hallmark of NF1 is neurofibromas rather than schwannomas (both are tumors that grow on nerves, but they have different causes). Research is ongoing to learn more about NF1 and other diseases causing nerve tumors. How is NF1 inherited? Normally, every cell has two copies of each gene: one inherited from the mother and one inherited from the fat
