Study shows that men with faulty gene may get breast cancer by the time they reach 70.
A study from St. Mary’s Hospital in Manchester shows that there is one in every 15 people who may get breast cancer, after they analysed 321 families with the gene called BRCA2.
BRCA2 causes breast cancer among a number of women in the UK annually. This gene can be inherited by both next generation of female and male. But according to experts, breast cancer in men is still very rare. In Britain, only 300 cases happened to men every year, and 45,000 with women.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Medical Genetics, also involves data taken from families living somewhere around Manchester and Birmingham.
Even if men don’t have a faulty copy of BRCA2, they may still be able to get breast cancer. But the highest risk where men would possibly get breast cancer is if he has a faulty copy of the gene, this is according to Gareth Evans St Mary’s Hospital.
Among the first-degree relatives of people carrying BRCA2, 16 men were found to have developed breast cancer from the age of 29-79. While in the second degree, there were eight men who have breast cancer.
According to analysis, there is a 7.1% risk of breast cancer among men with a faulty BRCA2 by the age of 70 and by the age of 80, 8.4%.
According to Prof. Gareth Evans, lead researcher from St. Mary’s Hospital in Manchester, “There is a one in 1,000 chance of developing breast cancer as a man in the general population.”
However he also said being aware of the risk is very important for men, especially when one already knows that he is carrying the faulty gene basing on his family history.
Nell Barrie, from Cancer Research UK, pointed out that, “Most men who have a relative with breast cancer will not be at an increased risk of developing it.”
She also said, “This study looked only at men who carry a very specific faulty gene and the numbers of men who carry this gene are likely to be small.”
However, she also added, “If a man has a very strong family history of breast cancer and is worried about his risk he should discuss it with his doctor.”
It is very important to know if you have a background of BRCA2 in your family. If you do have, then you must be aware of the risks.
Other men who don’t have a history of BRCA2 in their family history do not exempt them from having breast cancer.
The main point is everyone should be vigilant on the issue of breast cancer, may it be men or women, old or young, having BRCA2 or not.
