Gene link to cancer risk in families - protein RAD51C (news item) breast and ovarian

Note: this report is worthwhile reading especially for those who test negative for BRCA 1/2

"No significant mutations were found in RAD51C in the 620 families with breast cancer only.  However, when they looked at the breast and ovarian cancer families, things got really interesting.  In all, they were able to identify a total of 6 mutations in the 480 families that had sufficient evidence to implicate them in the breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility.  Thus, in this German study of women with unexplained familial breast and ovarian cancer, the cancer susceptibility in 1.3% of the families could be explained by heterozygous mutations in the RAD51C gene."





Mutations in a gene that greatly increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer have been discovered.

A German study of 1,100 families with gynaecological tumours found some had faults in the protein RAD51C.

Those with the wonky gene had around a 60% risk of breast cancer and a 15 to 40% risk of ovarian cancer.

But mutations in the gene are rare and were found only in families with a history of both breast and ovarian tumours.

In another paper it is reported a mutation in RAD51C can also cause a serious blood condition.

The research team in London added: "This study is, to our knowledge, the first report of the association of a mutation in RAD51C with a human disorder."