Breast cancer gene ups male risk

Last updated: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Print

Men in families that carry the breast cancer gene BRCA2 are at increased risk for prostate cancer, say Australian researchers who've been investigating families with multiple cases of breast and ovarian cancer for 10 years.

"We discovered that a man with a genetic fault in BRCA2 has almost four times the risk of developing prostate cancer than men in the general population. The BRCA2-prostate cancer that arises in these men also tends to be more aggressive," researcher Heather Thorne said.

She said it's hoped the finding, published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, will encourage men to assess their genetic risk in the same way women do with breast and ovarian cancer.

"If a man comes from a family with multiple cases of breast or ovarian cancer, or knows there is a BRCA2 gene mutation running in their family, they may be at increased risk of developing prostate cancer," Thorne said, AFP reported.

"These men can go to (clinic) and discuss genetic testing, and be given appropriate advice if they are found to be at increased risk." – (HealthDay News, May 2008)