Familial Breast Cancer: More Than Just BRCA

Women with a strong family history of breast cancer don’t have to have the high risk BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants to be at a greater risk of developing breast cancer themselves. In a study of 277 families with a history of carrying mutated BRCA genes, women who don’t have the mutations are three times more likely to develop breast cancer.

• Calculations based on breast cancer levels in general population suggested just 2% of this group should have developed cancer, when in fact, 6.4% had developed the disease by the age of 50.
• 27% of breast cancer has an inherited component but only 3% of cancer is down to BRCA1 and 2.
• Combinations of genes other than BRCA1 and 2 increases the risk of breast cancer in women with a strong family history of the disease.

Professor Gareth Evans, the lead author from the department of medical genetics, St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester:

We would suggest these women should be considered for annual breast screening between the ages 40 and 49 in the UK, like the women who carry the genetic faults, rather than being treated like the general population where compulsory screening begins at 50.

NB: There’s an easy way to support breast cancer research. Buy pink M&M’s available through November. (via Carl)

BBC News, October 31, 2006

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