Gene Heredity and Breast Cancer: Location, Expression, Mechanism, and Heritability of BRCA1 and BRCA2
This paper describes two genes that have been linked to breast cancer in humans, BRCA1 and BRCA2. Most common in the genetic heritage of Ashkenazi Jews and Western Europeans, who have a 36-50% chance of developing breast cancer before the age of 50, mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are also found in men and women of all ethnic backgrounds. The location, expression, mechanism, and heritability of the gene are described in the paper. Comparisons are also made to syndromatic genes that are related to breast cancer, e.g. Cowden and Li-Fraumeni syndromes.
