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BRCA Gene Mutations: Cancer Risk and Genetic Testing Fact Sheet - National Cancer Institute

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A fact sheet about the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, what to do if a person tests positive for alterations in one of these genes, and consequences of genetic testing.

BRCA Gene Changes: Cancer Risk and Genetic Testing What are BRCA1 and BRCA2 ? BRCA1 (BReast CAncer gene 1) and BRCA2 (BReast CAncer gene 2) are genes that produce proteins that help repair damaged DNA. Everyone has two copies of each of these genes—one copy inherited from each parent. People who inherit a harmful change (also called a mutation or pathogenic variant ) in one of these genes have increased risks of several cancers—most notably breast and ovarian cancer, but also several other types of cancer ( 1 , 2 ). People who have inherited a harmful change in BRCA1 or BRCA2 also tend to deve

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