BRCA gene mutation

The question of who should receive screening for BRCA is unresolved. The probability of being a carrier of the gene is related to ethnicity and family history. Important factors in family history include the number of affected and unaffected family members, the age at which cancer is diagnosed, and the presence of ovarian cancer. It is currently estimated that the risk of a BRCAl mutation increases 20-fold if breast and ovarian cancer occur concurrently in one or more family members. However, as pointed out in the recent study in Ashkenazi Jewish women, the importance of family history appears to diminish as family size decreases. 

Tnmor snppressors refer to a general class of proteins that function to slow and alter cell growth and development through a variety of mechanisms. BRCA tumor suppressor gene when mutated, increases the risk of breast cancer. 

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