A broad ethnic sampling of more than 55,000 men and 64,000 women were surveyed. Male participants were asked if they, their fathers and brothers had a history of prostate cancer. If in fact the gene is inherited from mothers, it is located on the X chromosome. Each human cell has two sex chromosomes. Females have two X chromosomes and males have one X and one Y chromosome.
Males inherit their X chromosome from their mothers.
Previous research has provided limited evidence that specific forms of the androgen receptor gene, which is located on the X chromosome, are linked to prostate cancer risk.