What BRCA1 and BRCA2 really mean

Is it possible to inherit risk for breast cancer? It is, sometimes. Every person has two types of breast cancer or ‘BRCA’ genes in each of their body cells. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are meant to repair DNA and keep other genes healthy when all is well, preventing cancerous changes in the cells.

However, a person’s risk of cancer goes up when mutation damages any of these two genes. Inheriting impaired copies of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes can elevate the risk for breast cancer and ovarian cancer in women and for breast and prostate cancer in men, besides other cancers.

Things you need to know about BRCA mutation

BRCA gene mutations can happen in both women and men and passed onto their biological children.
While women with mutation are more probable to develop cancer, men are more likely to be silent carriers.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 are responsible for nearly half of the families with a definitive genetic cause of inherited cancers. Other inherited breast cancers are pinned to rarer gene mutations like PALB2, ATM, CHEK2, CDH1, etc.
Even if you are BRCA1- or BRCA2-positive, getting evaluated and taking preventive steps as advised by your doctor can lower your cancer risk.

Difference between BRCA1 and BRCA2

Mutation in the two different genes can influence a person’s susceptibility to specific types of cancer. For example, a mutation in the BRCA1 gene is linked with an increased risk of breast cancer, including triple-negative breast cancer, often aggressive and difficult to treat. Also, men with BRCA2 mutation have a 6% chance of developing breast cancer at some point in their lives, as opposed to a 1% lifetime risk for men with BRCA1 mutation.

Risk factors for BRCA gene mutation

Since there are no particular symptoms of breast cancers caused by a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, tests are advised based on risk factors. One could be more likely to carry one or the other if she/he or a relative has:

Breast cancer diagnosed before reaching 50
Cancer in both breasts.
A relative with a known BRCA mutation
Male breast cancer
Ovarian cancer or cancer of the fallopian tube or primary cancer of the abdominal lining
Triple-negative breast cancer
Breast cancer striking more than once
Both breast and ovarian cancer
Breast or ovarian cancer at any age, and Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry

Diagnosis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation

With doctors having access to newer genetic test methods like using a saliva sample instead of a blood sample, getting tested for BRCA and other gene mutations is getting simpler. Once the doctors are aware if the patient’s cancer is related or not to a specific gene mutation like BRCA1 or BRCA2, it becomes much easier to chart a treatment course.

Newer treatment options

There are advanced treatment protocols for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation breast cancers now. For instance, there is a newer medication called Olaparib which is now used for maintenance treatment of BRCA-mutated cancer in adults. This new drug type is called a PARP inhibitor, which helps limit the action of an enzyme known as ADP ribose polymerase, which helps in DNA repair. Other advanced treatment protocols are also being readied for BRCA mutation-related cancers.