Two copies of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are found in each cell of your body; one copy is inherited from each of your parents. These are just two of approximately 20,000 genes in each cell in your body, and they serve important functions. 

If a change to the genetic code in a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene occurs and it's no longer functioning properly (often called a "harmful variant" or "mutation"), risk of cancer increases.

"BRCA1 and BRCA2 are really good genes," says Brittany M. Szymaniak, PhD, a certified genetic counselor in Northwestern Medicine Urology and part of the Northwestern Medicine EDGe (Early Detection in Genetics) BRCA+ Men's Clinic. "The function of them is to help prevent cancer developing in our body."

Harmful variants of BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase risk for the following types of cancer:

• Breast (including male breast cancer)
• Ovarian
• Prostate
• Pancreatic
• Melanoma

"If you are identified to have a BRCA mutation, it's not diagnosing you with a cancer. It's just indicating that there's a higher likelihood to develop cancer," explains Szymaniak. "So there's going to be increased surveillance that we're going to want to do to make sure that we're staying on top of that increased cancer risk."

Risk of Prostate, Pancreatic and Male Breast Cancer With BRCA Mutations

While BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are linked to the same spectrum of cancers, the risk levels between the two gene mutations are different.

"There's a higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer with a BRCA1 mutation," says Szymaniak. "Someone with a BRCA2 mutation has a slightly more elevated risk for prostate, male breast cancer, melanoma and pancreatic cancer."

Research shows that:

• Men* who inherit a harmful BRCA2 variant have about a 1 in 4 chance of developing prostate cancer by age 75; the risk rises to 6 in 10 by age 85. The risk for the general population of men is a little more than 1 in 10.
• Breast cancer in men is rare, but it is elevated with men who inherit BRCA mutations. A BRCA2 mutation increases the risk of breast cancer in men to between 1.8% and 7.1% by age 70, while a BRCA1 mutation increases the risk to between 0.2% and 1.2% by age 70. The risk for the general population of men is about 0.12%.
• According to guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, men and women who inherit a harmful BRCA2 variant have between a 1 in 20 and 1 in 10 risk of developing pancreatic cancer by age 70. The risk for the general population is less than 1 in 50.

The Inheritance Factor

You can inherit a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene from either one of your parents. Approximately 1 in 400 people carries a BRCA gene mutation. However, people of Ashkenazi Jewish decent have a 1 in 40 chance of having a mutation.

If you do have a BRCA mutation, your parents, siblings and children have a 50% chance of having the mutation as well.

Who Should Get Genetic Counseling and Testing?

If you are concerned about having a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation based on your personal and family health history with cancer, talk with your physician. Some family health history items that are important to share:

• Multiple generations with similar cancers on one side of the family
• A family history of metastatic, high-risk or very-high risk prostate cancer
• A relative who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer
• A female relative who was diagnosed with breast cancer before 50
• A male relative who was diagnosed with breast cancer
• A relative who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
• A relative with a known BRCA mutation
• Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry

Before genetic testing is done, it is common practice to meet with a genetic counselor for a risk assessment. You will be encouraged to collect as much cancer family history as possible prior to your appointment. If it is determined you are a candidate for genetic testing, your test will be done by either a blood or saliva sample, or a cheek swab.

"You don't need to fast or have a special diet before testing," says Szymaniak. If you are doing a saliva test or cheek swab, you may need to wait a short time after eating or drinking to avoid contamination of the sample.

Genetic testing can be beneficial for people who have never been diagnosed with cancer, as well as those who have. If the test results show that you have a BRCA gene mutation, you can work with your care team to take steps to reduce your risk of getting cancer and to detect it early. For example, you may need to have cancer screening tests done earlier and more often than people who do not have a BRCA mutation.

If you already have cancer, knowing about the mutation can be important for selecting further testing and treatment. 

*Scientists do not always collect information from participants about gender identity. To avoid misrepresenting the results of this research, we use the same terminology as the study authors.