BRCA is short for blood cancer gene; BRCA gene testing is done to identify any changes that can prove to be dangerous for you. This test is conducted through DNA analysis.
This test is advised for people with an inherited mutation through their personal or family history of breast and ovarian cancer. In addition, people with a BRCA mutation history are often advised to take this test routinely.
The results of BRCA testing are unclear, and a positive result may suggest that you carry the mutation and are prone to breast or ovarian cancer and might have to follow up with your doctor regularly to manage this. On the other hand, a negative result may mean that you don’t have the mutation, or you might, but it’s not something the doctors have discovered yet.
In-depth study of the BRCA gene mutation:
BRCA mutations are known to be a vast topic of study; for a better understanding of it, here’s what you need to know:
- First, BRCA gene mutations are not limited to one gender. Doctors can detect BRCA mutations in both men and women, and their children might inherit them.
- Men carrying these mutations are silent carriers, while women are more likely to develop cancer.
- BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 constitute about half of the families causing inherited cancers. Other breast cancers caused due to inheritance might be because of other cancers caused by inheritance are due to less heard of mutations like PALB2, ATM, CHEK2, etc.
- Proper management can lower your risk of cancer, even if you are positive for BRCA 1 or BRCA 2.
What is the difference between the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene?
It doesn’t matter if the mutation occurs in the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene. However, it opens up the vulnerability to different kinds of cancer.
For example, the mutations in the BRCA 1 gene are known to be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer; This also includes triple negative breast cancer, which is known to be super aggressive and very tough to recover from. On the other hand, men with the BRCA 2 gene have a 6% chance of having breast cancer compared to the 1% lifetime risk for men with a BRCA 1 mutation.
Any symptoms of the BRCA Gene mutation?
There are no specified symptoms of the BRCA gene mutation, and your doctor might suggest BRCA gene testing and other specific screenings if you have any previous history or it’s in the family gene.
Conclusion:
BRCA gene testing should be done if there is any history of having breast cancer or if there is a family history of it. If the results suggest that you’re positive for that mutation in your gene, you might be prone to breast or ovarian cancer. It’s best to get yourself treated by a specialized healthcare professional. Your physicians may give you a better idea about the management process, the do’s and don’ts, or further testing and screenings for verification and identifying which stage of cancer you’re dealing with.
