Researchers have accurately quantified the risk of breast cancer due to a mutation of a known gene linked to the disease. The study tracked 362 people from families known to carry mutation of a gene called PALB2 which has been linked to breast cancer.
Researches found that among those younger than 40, the risk of breast cancer was eight to nine times higher than in the general population. The risk was six to eight times higher among those 40 to 60 years of age, and five times as high among those older than 60 years of age.
The gene in this study is related to the infamous BRCA genes for which mutation carriers now sometimes choose preventive mastectomies to reduce the risk of getting breast cancer.
Original research paper published in The New England Journal of Medicine on August 6, 2014.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
