Environmental and Lifestyle Influences on Breast Cancer Risk: Clues From Women with Inherited Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2
Abstract
Women with inherited mutations in BRCAl or BRCA2 have significantly elevated risks of breast cancer. However, not all women with inherited BRCAl or BRCA2 mutations develop breast or ovarian cancer, and among those who do, ages at cancer onset vary widely even within the same family. If a woman with a BRCAl or BRCA2 mutation remains free of breast cancer for many years, it is possible that her status is due to chance, to modifying genes segregating in some families, or to environmental factors that influence risk. In this project, we evaluate environmental and lifestyle factors that could influence the impact of mutations in BRCA I and BRCA2 on disease risk. It is possible that such co-factors identified among genetically predisposed women may be generalized to women who have not inherited predisposition to breast or ovarian cancer, because clinically and biologically, inherited cancer is virtually indistinguishable from its far more common, non-inherited counterpart.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA381204
Entities
People
- Mary-claire King
Organizations
- University of Washington