Key points

• If you have a family health history of breast or ovarian cancer, you may be more likely to get cancer.
• Share your family health history of cancer with your doctor.

Each year, about 270,000 women and 2,000 men in the United States get breast cancer, and about 20,000 women get ovarian cancer. Most of these cancers happen by chance. However, some are hereditary, meaning that they are caused by genetic changes (called mutations) that are passed down in families.

If you are at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers, you can take steps to lower your risk. If your family health history shows that you could be at higher risk for cancer, your doctor may refer you for genetic counseling and genetic testing.

About 5% to 10% of breast cancers and 10% to 15% of ovarian cancers are hereditary. Hereditary cancer means cancer runs in your family. It could be caused by a change in certain genes that you inherited from your mother or father.

Genes act as instructions and contain information to build and maintain cells in the body. Humans inherit one set of genes from their mother and one set of genes from their father.

Genes are made up of DNA. DNA tells the body what traits will be passed on from parents to children, such as blood type, hair color, eye color, and risks of getting certain diseases.

BRCA genes

BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are important to fighting cancer. When they work normally, these genes help keep breast, ovarian, and other types of cells from growing and dividing too rapidly or in an uncontrolled way.

Sometimes, changes or "mutations" occur that prevent genes from doing their job properly. This raises a person's risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers. About 3% of breast cancers and 10% of ovarian cancers result from mutations in BRCA genes. If your mother or father has a BRCA gene mutation, you have a 50% chance of having the same gene mutation.

Breast and ovarian cancers can also be caused by mutations in other genes. These mutations might be found through genetic testing.

Why BRCA gene mutations matter

Having a BRCA gene mutation puts you at an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers.

• About 50 out of 100 women with a BRCA gene mutation will get breast cancer by the time they turn 70 years old, compared to only 7 out of 100 women in the general United States population.
• About 30 out of 100 women with a BRCA gene mutation will get ovarian cancer by the time they turn 70 years old, compared to fewer than 1 out of 100 women in the general US population.

If you have a family history of breast cancer or inherited changes in your BRCA genes, you may have a higher cancer risk. Talk to your doctor about ways to lower your risk.Why BRCA gene mutations matter">

Normal Function

The BRCA1 gene provides instructions for making a protein that acts as a tumor suppressor. Tumor suppressor proteins help prevent cells from growing and dividing too rapidly or in an uncontrolled way.

The BRCA1 protein is involved in repairing damaged DNA. In the nucleus of many types of normal cells, the BRCA1 protein interacts with several other proteins to mend breaks in DNA. These breaks can be caused by natural and medical radiation or other environmental exposures, and they also occur when chromosomes exchange genetic material in preparation for cell division. By helping to repair DNA, the BRCA1 protein plays a critical role in maintaining the stability of a cell's genetic information.

Research suggests that the BRCA1 protein also regulates the activity of other genes and plays an essential role in embryonic development. To carry out these functions, the BRCA1 protein interacts with many other proteins, including other tumor suppressors and proteins that regulate cell division.

Health Conditions Related to Genetic Changes

Breast cancer

Mutations in the BRCA1 gene are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in both men and women, as well as several other types of cancer. These mutations are present in every cell in the body and can be passed from one generation to the next. As a result, they are associated with cancers that cluster in families. However, not everyone who inherits a mutation in the BRCA1 gene will develop cancer. Other genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors also contribute to a person's cancer risk.

Most BRCA1 gene mutations lead to the production of an abnormally short version of the BRCA1 protein or prevent any protein from being made from one copy of the gene. As a result, less of this protein is available to help repair damaged DNA or fix mutations that occur in other genes. As these defects accumulate, they can trigger cells to grow and divide uncontrollably to form a tumor.

Ovarian cancer

Many of the same BRCA1 gene mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer (described above) also increase the risk of ovarian cancer. Families with these mutations are often said to be affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome. Women with BRCA1 gene mutations have a 35 to 60 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer in their lifetimes, as compared with 1.6 percent in the general population.

Prostate cancer

Inherited BRCA1 gene mutations have been found to increase the risk of prostate cancer. These mutations likely reduce the BRCA1 protein's ability to repair DNA, allowing potentially damaging mutations to persist in various other genes. The accumulation of damaging mutations can lead to the out-of-control cell growth and division that can cause a tumor to develop. Men who carry a BRCA1 gene mutation may also be at increased risk for other cancers, including breast and pancreatic cancer.

Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma is a group of cancers that begin in the bile ducts. Bile ducts are branched tubes that connect the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine. They carry bile, which is a fluid that helps the body digest fats that are in food. Bile is made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder before being released in the small intestine after a person eats.

Cholangiocarcinoma is classified by its location in relation to the liver. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma begins in the small bile ducts within the liver. This is the least common form of the disease, accounting for less than 10 percent of all cases. Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (also known as a Klatskin tumor) begins in an area called the hilum, where the right and left major bile ducts join and leave the liver. It is the most common form of the disease, accounting for more than half of all cases. The remaining cases are classified as distal cholangiocarcinomas, which begin in bile ducts outside the liver. The perihilar and distal forms of the disease, which both occur outside the liver, are sometimes grouped together and called extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

The three types of cholangiocarcinoma do not usually cause any symptoms in their early stages, and this cancer is usually not diagnosed until it has already spread beyond the bile ducts to other tissues. Symptoms often result when bile ducts become blocked by the tumor. The most common symptom is jaundice, in which the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow. Other symptoms can include extreme tiredness (fatigue), itching, dark-colored urine, loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, abdominal pain, and light-colored and greasy stools. These symptoms are described as "nonspecific" because they can be features of many different diseases.

Most people who develop cholangiocarcinoma are older than 65. Because this cancer is often not discovered until it has already spread, it can be challenging to treat effectively. Affected individuals can survive for several months to several years after diagnosis, depending on the location of the cancer and how advanced it is.

Other cancers

Inherited mutations in the BRCA1 gene also increase the risk of several other types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer and colon cancer. These mutations impair the ability of the BRCA1 protein to help repair damaged DNA. As defects accumulate in DNA, they can trigger cells to grow and divide without order to form a tumor. It is not clear why different individuals with BRCA1 mutations develop cancers in different organs. Environmental factors that affect specific organs may contribute to the development of cancers at particular sites.

Normal Function

The BRCA2 gene provides instructions for making a protein that acts as a tumor suppressor. Tumor suppressor proteins help prevent cells from growing and dividing too rapidly or in an uncontrolled way.

The BRCA2 protein is involved in repairing damaged DNA. In the nucleus of many types of normal cells, the BRCA2 protein interacts with several other proteins to mend breaks in DNA. These breaks can be caused by natural and medical radiation or other environmental exposures, and they also occur when chromosomes exchange genetic material in preparation for cell division. By helping to repair DNA, the BRCA2 protein plays a critical role in maintaining the stability of a cell's genetic information.

Researchers suspect that the BRCA2 protein has additional functions within cells. For example, the protein may help regulate cytokinesis, which is the step in cell division when the fluid surrounding the nucleus (the cytoplasm) divides to form two separate cells. Researchers are investigating the protein's other potential activities.

Health Conditions Related to Genetic Changes

Breast cancer

Mutations in the BRCA2 gene are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in both men and women, as well as several other types of cancer. These mutations are present in every cell in the body and can be passed from one generation to the next. As a result, they are associated with cancers that cluster in families. However, not everyone who inherits a mutation in the BRCA2 gene will develop cancer. Other genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors also contribute to a person's cancer risk.

Most BRCA2 gene mutations lead to the production of an abnormally small, nonfunctional version of the BRCA2 protein from one copy of the gene in each cell. As a result, less of this protein is available to help repair damaged DNA or fix mutations that occur in other genes. As these defects accumulate, they can trigger cells to grow and divide uncontrollably to form a tumor.

Ovarian cancer

Many of the same BRCA2 gene mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer (described above) also increase the risk of ovarian cancer. Families with these mutations are often said to be affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome. Women with BRCA2 gene mutations have an approximately 12 to 25 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer in their lifetimes, as compared with 1.6 percent in the general population.

Prostate cancer

Inherited BRCA2 gene mutations have been found to increase the risk of prostate cancer. Men with these mutations are also more likely to develop prostate cancer at an earlier age and may be at increased risk of having an aggressive form of the disease. They may also be at increased risk for other cancers.

BRCA2 gene mutations likely reduce the BRCA2 protein's ability to repair DNA, allowing potentially damaging mutations to persist in various other genes. The accumulation of damaging mutations can lead to the out-of-control cell growth and division that can result in development of a tumor.

Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma is a group of cancers that begin in the bile ducts. Bile ducts are branched tubes that connect the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine. They carry bile, which is a fluid that helps the body digest fats that are in food. Bile is made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder before being released in the small intestine after a person eats.

Cholangiocarcinoma is classified by its location in relation to the liver. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma begins in the small bile ducts within the liver. This is the least common form of the disease, accounting for less than 10 percent of all cases. Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (also known as a Klatskin tumor) begins in an area called the hilum, where the right and left major bile ducts join and leave the liver. It is the most common form of the disease, accounting for more than half of all cases. The remaining cases are classified as distal cholangiocarcinomas, which begin in bile ducts outside the liver. The perihilar and distal forms of the disease, which both occur outside the liver, are sometimes grouped together and called extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

The three types of cholangiocarcinoma do not usually cause any symptoms in their early stages, and this cancer is usually not diagnosed until it has already spread beyond the bile ducts to other tissues. Symptoms often result when bile ducts become blocked by the tumor. The most common symptom is jaundice, in which the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow. Other symptoms can include extreme tiredness (fatigue), itching, dark-colored urine, loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, abdominal pain, and light-colored and greasy stools. These symptoms are described as "nonspecific" because they can be features of many different diseases.

Most people who develop cholangiocarcinoma are older than 65. Because this cancer is often not discovered until it has already spread, it can be challenging to treat effectively. Affected individuals can survive for several months to several years after diagnosis, depending on the location of the cancer and how advanced it is.

Fanconi anemia

Fanconi anemia is a condition that affects many parts of the body. People with this condition may have bone marrow failure, physical abnormalities, organ defects, and an increased risk of certain cancers.

The major function of bone marrow is to produce new blood cells. These include red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the body's tissues; white blood cells, which fight infections; and platelets, which are necessary for normal blood clotting. Approximately 90 percent of people with Fanconi anemia have impaired bone marrow function that leads to a decrease in the production of all blood cells (aplastic anemia). Affected individuals experience extreme tiredness (fatigue) due to low numbers of red blood cells (anemia), frequent infections due to low numbers of white blood cells (neutropenia), and clotting problems due to low numbers of platelets (thrombocytopenia). People with Fanconi anemia may also develop myelodysplastic syndrome, a condition in which immature blood cells fail to develop normally.

More than half of people with Fanconi anemia have physical abnormalities. These abnormalities can involve irregular skin coloring such as unusually light-colored skin (hypopigmentation) or café-au-lait spots, which are flat patches on the skin that are darker than the surrounding area. Other possible symptoms of Fanconi anemia include malformed thumbs or forearms and other skeletal problems including short stature; malformed or absent kidneys and other defects of the urinary tract; gastrointestinal abnormalities; heart defects; eye abnormalities such as small or abnormally shaped eyes; and malformed ears and hearing loss. People with this condition may have abnormal genitalia or malformations of the reproductive system. As a result, most affected males and about half of affected females cannot have biological children (are infertile). Additional signs and symptoms can include abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system), including increased fluid in the center of the brain (hydrocephalus) or an unusually small head size (microcephaly).

Individuals with Fanconi anemia have an increased risk of developing a cancer of blood-forming cells in the bone marrow called acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or tumors of the head, neck, skin, gastrointestinal system, or genital tract. The likelihood of developing one of these cancers in people with Fanconi anemia is between 10 and 30 percent.

Other cancers

Inherited mutations in the BRCA2 gene also increase the risk of several other types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer and an aggressive form of skin cancer called melanoma. These mutations impair the ability of the BRCA2 protein to help repair damaged DNA. As defects accumulate in DNA, they can trigger cells to grow and divide without order to form a tumor. It is not clear why different individuals with BRCA2 mutations develop cancers in different organs. Environmental factors that affect specific organs may contribute to the development of cancers at particular sites.

Family Health History and Cancer

Key points

• Learn your family’s history of cancer and share it with your doctor.
• If you have a family history of certain cancers, you may have a higher risk for developing these cancers.

Overview

Your family health history is a record of diseases and conditions that run in your family. Your family members may share habits, environments, and changes in certain genes that can affect your risk of getting cancer.

What information do I need?

Gather information about yourself and your relatives who are related to you by blood, including:

• Parents and grandparents.
• Aunts and uncles.
• Sisters and brothers.
• Nieces and nephews.
• Children.

Don't include stepsiblings, stepparents, stepchildren, and other people in your family who are not your blood relatives.

Information should include:

• Who had cancer and what specific kinds did they have?
• How old were they when they were diagnosed with cancer?
• Are they still living? If not, at what age did they die and what caused their death?

How do I collect family health history information?

Take time to ask about your family history of cancer at family gatherings. Respectfully ask your relatives to help fill in the gaps and confirm what you remember. Also, look through any family records, death certificates, or obituaries.

Do I have a higher risk of getting cancer?

If you have a family history of breast, ovarian, uterine, or colorectal cancer, you may have a higher risk for developing these cancers.

Tell your doctor if:

• A relative was diagnosed before age 50 with uterine, breast, or colorectal cancer.
• Two or more relatives on the same side of the family were diagnosed with uterine, breast, or colorectal cancer.
• A female relative was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
• A male relative was diagnosed with breast cancer.
• You have an Eastern European or Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.

Telling your doctor about your family health history is the first step to find out if you may have a higher cancer risk. It could help you and your doctor decide what tests you need to screen for cancer, when to start, and how often to be tested. Knowing your family health history also helps you and your doctor decide if genetic counseling or testing may be right for you.

What is genetic counseling and testing?

If your family health history suggests that you may have a higher cancer risk, your doctor can refer you to genetic counseling.

A genetic counselor is a specialist who asks you about your health history and your family’s health history and helps you decide if genetic testing is right for you. A genetic test uses your saliva or blood to look at your DNA. By looking for changes in the DNA, sometimes called mutations, the test can tell you whether you may have a higher risk of developing cancer than most people.

What should I do if I have a genetic mutation?

Having a genetic mutation does not mean you will get cancer. You can do things to lower or manage your cancer risk. Talk to your doctor about:

• Tests. You may need to start getting screening tests earlier and get tested more often, or with different tests than other people.
• Medicine or surgery that could lower your cancer risk.
• Making healthy choices like quitting smoking, not drinking alcohol, exercising regularly, and keeping a healthy weight.

Which hereditary conditions raise my chances of getting cancer?

Several hereditary conditions can raise your chances of getting cancer. Two of the most common are hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome and Lynch syndrome.

• People with HBOC syndrome have a higher risk for breast, ovarian, advanced prostate, and pancreatic cancers.
• People with Lynch syndrome have a higher risk for colorectal, uterine, and ovarian cancers.

People at Increased Risk for BRCA Gene Mutations

Key points

• Some people have a higher risk for a breast cancer (BRCA) gene mutation than others.
• Certain family history patterns indicate a higher risk for a BRCA gene mutation.

Overview

Your personal and family cancer history may suggest that you have a higher risk for a BRCA gene mutation.

Family history

You may be at increased risk for a BRCA gene mutation if your family history includes:

• Several relatives with breast cancer.
• Any relatives with ovarian cancer.
• Relatives who got breast cancer before age 50.
• A relative with cancer in both breasts.
• A relative who had both breast and ovarian cancers.
• A male relative with breast cancer.
• Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry (Central or Eastern European) and any relative with breast or ovarian cancer.
• A relative with a known BRCA gene mutation.

Personal history

You may have a higher risk for a mutation if you have had:

• Breast cancer before age 50.
• Triple-negative breast cancer.
• Male breast cancer.
• Breast cancer more than once.
• Ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, or primary peritoneal (lining of the abdomen) cancer at any age.
• Both breast and ovarian cancers.
• Breast cancer or ovarian cancer at any age, and you are of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry (Central or Eastern European).
• Breast cancer, and you have a family member with breast or ovarian cancer.

If you are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, you have a higher risk for a BRCA gene mutation. If either of the following statements are true, you may benefit from genetic counseling:

• Any first-degree relative (parent, child, or sibling) had breast or ovarian cancer.
• Two second-degree relatives (grandparent, aunt or uncle, or niece or nephew) on the same side of the family had breast or ovarian cancer. These can be relatives on your mother's or father's side of the family.

Genetic Testing for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer

Key points

• Your genetic counselor or other health care provider may recommend genetic testing based on your personal and family history of cancer, your ancestry, and whether you have a family member with a genetic mutation.
• Genetic test results may help you understand and manage your risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers.

How genetic testing can help you

Genetic testing can help you understand and manage your risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers. Knowing whether or not you have a genetic mutation that makes you more likely to get cancer can help you decide what steps to take to prevent cancer or find it early.

Genetic counseling before genetic testing is important to find out if you and your family are likely to benefit from genetic testing.

Who should be tested

Usually, genetic testing is recommended if you have:

• A strong family health history of breast and ovarian cancers.
• A moderate family health history of breast and ovarian cancers and are of Ashkenazi or Eastern European Jewish ancestry.
• A personal history of breast cancer and meet certain criteria related to age of diagnosis, type of cancer, presence of certain other cancers or cancer in both breasts, ancestry, and family health history.
• A personal history of ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer.
• A known mutation in the breast cancer (BRCA) genes in someone in your family.

A genetic counselor can help you determine the best testing plan for you and your family. Whenever possible, the first person tested in your family should be someone who has had breast, ovarian, or another BRCA-related cancer.

Types of tests

Genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers looks for mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Your genetic counselor may suggest testing using a multigene panel. A multigene panel looks for mutations in several genes, including BRCA1 and BRCA2, at the same time.

If you are of Ashkenazi or Eastern European Jewish ancestry, your genetic counselor may suggest testing for three specific BRCA gene mutations, called founder mutations. These are the most common mutations in people of Ashkenazi or Eastern European Jewish ancestry.

Genetic testing is done with a blood or saliva sample. The sample may be taken in a laboratory, doctor's office, hospital, or clinic. Or a kit may be sent to your home, and you send the kit to a laboratory that does the tests. It may take several weeks or longer to get the test results.

If your test result is positive

The test showed that you have a mutation known to cause hereditary breast and ovarian cancers.

What it means for you

• You can take steps to make it less likely that you will get cancer or to find cancer early if you get it.
• If you have had breast or ovarian cancer, a positive test result can help guide your treatment decisions.

What it means for your family

• If other adult family members decide to get genetic testing, their test should check for the same mutation you have.
• Your parents, children, sisters, and brothers each have a 1 in 2 (50%) chance of having the same mutation.

If your test result is negative

The test didn't find a mutation. But what this means for you depends on whether you have had breast or ovarian cancer, and whether another relative is known to have a mutation.

If you have had breast or ovarian cancer

What it means for you

• The test did not find a mutation that caused your cancer.
• Further testing may be available.

What it means for your family

• The cancers in your family are less likely to be due to a genetic mutation, unless another relative is known to have a mutation.
• Genetic testing in your family members who have not had breast or ovarian cancer is unlikely to be helpful, unless another relative is known to have a mutation.
• Genetic testing may be helpful for family members who have had breast or ovarian cancer. This is because there may be a genetic mutation in your family, but you did not inherit it.

If you have not had breast or ovarian cancer

• If a genetic mutation has not been found in another family member, you are still at higher risk for the cancers that run in your family.
• If a genetic mutation has been found in another family member and the test showed you do not have the mutation, you are not at higher risk than the average person for breast or ovarian cancer. You also cannot pass the mutation on to your children.

If your test result is variant of uncertain significance (VUS)

The test found a mutation in one of the genes associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancers, but doctors don't know if that mutation causes cancer. Some mutations prevent genes from working properly, while others have no effect. It is not always easy to tell whether or not a mutation in a gene has a harmful effect.

• If you have had breast or ovarian cancer, it is unclear whether the mutation found in the test caused your cancer. Further testing may be available.
• Whether or not you have had breast or ovarian cancer, you are at higher risk for the cancers that run in your family.

Are you worried about getting a genetic test?‎

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act protects Americans from discrimination based on their genetic information in health insurance and employment. This Act does not cover long-term care, disability, or life insurance.

Key points

• If you have a BRCA gene mutation, you can take steps to prevent cancer or find it early.
• Surgery is the most effective way to prevent breast and ovarian cancers.
• Other options may lower the chance of getting cancer or increase the chance of finding it early.

Overview

Medical options are available to manage breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer risk in people who have breast cancer (BRCA1 or BRCA2) gene mutations, but who have not had cancer. Discuss the possible risks and benefits with a doctor knowledgeable about medical management for people with BRCA gene mutations.

Breast and ovarian cancers

Women

Women with BRCA gene mutations are more likely to get breast and ovarian cancer than other women.

The most effective way to prevent breast and ovarian cancer in women with BRCA gene mutations is surgery to remove the breasts (mastectomy) and surgery to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes (salpingo-oophorectomy).

Other options may lower the chance of getting cancer or increase the chance of finding it early, but the effectiveness of these options is less certain. Some options are:

• Taking medications (such as tamoxifen, raloxifene, and aromatase inhibitors) to lower the chance of getting breast or ovarian cancer.
• Yearly screening with breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mammogram, starting at a younger age than most women.
• Clinical breast exams.
• Screening for ovarian cancer with transvaginal ultrasound and CA-125 blood tests.
• Engaging in healthy behaviors, such as keeping a healthy weight and being physically active.
• Paying attention to how your breasts normally look and feel and letting your doctor know right away if you notice any changes.

Genetic testing can also guide treatment options for women with breast or ovarian cancer to prevent future cancers. For example, women with cancer in one breast who test positive for a BRCA gene mutation may choose to have both breasts removed, rather than having surgery only on the affected breast.

Men

Men with BRCA gene mutations are more likely to get breast cancer than other men. If you are a man with a BRCA gene mutation, your doctor may recommend:

• Breast self-exam training and education starting at age 35.
• Yearly clinical breast exams starting at age 35.
• Yearly mammograms starting at age 50, or 10 years younger than the earliest known male breast cancer in the family, whichever is younger.

Prostate cancer

Men with BRCA gene mutations are more likely to get high-grade prostate cancer than other men. If you are a man with a BRCA gene mutation, your doctor may recommend prostate cancer screening starting at age 40, especially for men with a BRCA2 gene mutation.

Pancreatic cancer

Both men and women with BRCA gene mutations are more likely to get pancreatic cancer. If you have a BRCA gene mutation and a close relative with pancreatic cancer, your doctor may recommend screening for pancreatic cancer starting at age 50, or 10 years younger than the earliest known pancreatic cancer in your family, whichever is younger.

Talking to Family About Your BRCA Gene Mutation

Key points

• Tell your family members if you have a breast cancer (BRCA1 or BRCA2) gene mutation.
• Talking to family members can help them understand their risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers.
• Family members who get genetic testing should be tested for the same mutation that you have.

Why talk about it

If you carry a change in your BRCA genes that raises your risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers, this information can affect the health of other family members. Other people in your family may also have the gene change. It's important to share the information you learned from genetic counseling and testing with family members so they can make decisions for their own health.

Explain to your family members:

• BRCA gene mutations are passed through families.
• A person with a BRCA gene mutation is more likely to get breast, ovarian, and other cancers.
• Genetic counseling and testing for BRCA gene mutations can provide information about their risk.
• If they choose to be tested, they should be tested for the same mutation that you have.
• They can take steps to prevent cancer or find it early.

Tips for talking to your family

• Your parents, siblings, and children are most likely to have the same gene mutation you have. Other blood relatives, such as aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins, are also more likely to have the mutation. Your doctor or genetic counselor can help you figure out who in your family might have the mutation.
• Giving family members information about your specific genetic mutation helps their doctors know which test to use.
• If you have a BRCA gene mutation, each of your children has a 50% (1 in 2) chance of also having it. Genetic testing is usually not recommended for children. Younger children may not understand what your mutation means. Answer the questions they ask. They will ask more complex questions as they grow and are ready to learn more.