Breast Cancer Gene Mutations

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Breast cancer is a malignant disease causing cancer in breast tissue. It is estimated that 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, indicating that nearly 43,550 will unfortunately die from breast cancer. It is the most common cancer in American women and spreading awareness about self exams and symptoms is vital to promote womens’ health.

This post will discuss BRCA - the breast cancer gene. The human genome contains DNA which is vital to life to keep the body functioning. Genes are segments of DNA that encode traits. BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 are genes that have been implicated in the development of breast cancer. BRCA genes do not cause breast cancer, in fact each human has both genes! These genes act as tumor suppressors to prevent the growth of tumors. However, in some of the population, the tumor suppressor properties of the genes do not work as intended. These gene mutations can damage DNA. Thus, the BRCA gene may not be effective at repairing DNA. Those with a BRCA gene mutation are more likely to develop breast cancer at an earlier age.

Less than 10% of women with breast cancer have the BRCA mutation. It is only one of the several contributing factors to breast cancer. With early detection, breast cancer incidence rates can be lowered and can be treated!

References

BRCA: The breast cancer gene. National Breast Cancer Foundation. (2022, February 17). Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/what-is-brca