Contents

Search


breast cancer susceptibility gene-1 [BRCA-1]

Mutations in the BRCA-1 gene are associated with familial breast & ovarian cancer. Penetrance is high. Prevalence of deleterious BRCA1 mutations: - Ashkenazi Jews > hispanics > whites > African-American > Asian-American women [2] Female carriers of BRCA-1 mutations are estimated to have an 87% lifetime risk of breast cancer. 20% will develop breast cancer by age 40, 51% by age 50 & 87% by the age of 70 years. 65% of carriers surviving to age 70 will develop a 2nd primary breast cancer. The BRCA-1 associated breast cancers are NOT associated with a distinguishable histologic type or metastatic pattern. The likelihood of breast cancer varies substantially among BRCA1 & BRCA2 mutation carriers, most likely due to additional risk factors. [3] Mutations in the BRCA-1 gene may also increase risk of colorectal cancer (relative risk 4.11) & prostate cancer (relative risk 3.33), but increased risk of cancer at other sites has NOT been identified.

Related

breast cancer breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein (BRCA1)

General

unclassified gene

Properties

TEMPLATE-FOR: messenger RNA TEMPLATE-FOR: BRCA1 protein LOCUS: human chromosome-17 Q21 MOTIF: transcription factor binding site transcriptional start site exon intron transcriptional termination site

References

  1. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998
  2. John EM et al, Prevalence of pathogenic BRCA1 mutation carriers in 5 US racial/ethnic groups. JAMA 2007, 298:2869 PMID: 18159056
  3. Begg CB etl al, Variation of breast cancer risk among BRCA1/2 carriers. JAMA 2008, 299:194 PMID: 18182601