Breast Cancer Risk May Be Hidden In Small Families

A new study has found that the genetic risk for breast cancer may be hidden in small families.

Women who have mutations in the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 are at an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers.

Only around 2 percent of breast cancers are due to mutations in these specific genes, doctors said.

In families where multiple women are diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancers, the chance that other related females have the mutations increases dramatically.

Researchers observed over 300 women who had at least one relative diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50. They found that those with small families were almost three times more likely to have the breast cancer genes compared to women with large families.

Doctors recommend women in small families who have one female relative diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age or any relative with ovarian cancer to consider genetic testing.

source : news.yahoo.com