Recently I saw a woman with a BRCA gene mutation who had recently had both breasts removed and was now being urged to have both ovaries removed, she was 39 years of age.
Understandably she was considerably anxious about the prospect of losing most physical vestiges of her femininity. She was keen to know how much risk she would incur of ovarian cancer if she deferred her bilateral oophorectomy until she reached 45 years of age.
Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome (HBOC).
The BRCA genes 1& 2 are located on chromosomes 17 and 13 respectively. Their normal role is in tumour suppression by recognising and repairing DNA damage. They are autosomal dominant.
In mutations which impair that function there are increased risks of breast and ovarian cancer:
