TalkBRCA Mutations and Risk for Other Cancers
In the December 6th issue of Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers report that BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are more common than has been generally thought, and they seem to be associated with a greater risk for a number of cancers.
However, as lead investigator Dr. Harvey A. Risch told Reuters Health,
“For breast and ovarian cancer and perhaps other cancers as well, the lifetime risks for carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are not uniform — they depend on exactly which mutation is carried. Some mutations have higher risks and some have lower risks.”
The risk of cancer also appears to be related to the position of the mutation on the gene.
Abstract: Population BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Frequencies and Cancer Penetrances: A Kin-Cohort Study in Ontario, Canada. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol 98(23), 6 December 2006, pp. 1694-1706(13).
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