The Breast Cancer Gene in Men Carries Increased Risks

The role of the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 gene mutations in causing cancer in women is well known. So well known, in fact, that many women are getting tested, so that they can inform their daughters and female grandchildren of a possible increased risks of breast and ovarian cancer. But men can be carriers of the mutated gene, too. So far, however, few men have been screened, and even fewer have found it necessary to inform their daughters and female grandchildren if they are ‘positive’.

Dr Mary Daly of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia wants to change this. “Everyone thinks of breast and ovarian cancer and just assumes it’s all women. They don’t even realize these genes can be inherited from the father’s side of the family.”

Men who have a BRCA-1 or -2 gene mutation have twice the normal risk of prostate cancer, triple the normal risk of pancreas cancer, and 7 times more likely to develop breast cancer (it can happen in men, too.) So it makes sense for men who have a family history of breast cancer to get tested, and, if they are ‘positive’, to let their descendents know; and also to watch out for development of the relatively rare but lethal cancers of the pancreas and breast. (Of course, like all health-conscious folk, they are having regular checks for [prostate cancer anyway.)