Members of some families have a greater chance of developing breast cancer than people in the general population because they have inherited altered genetic information from one or both parents. We know this as hereditary breast cancer. However, someone who has the gene with a mutation has a higher risk to get breast cancer than someone without the mutation. Hereditary breast cancer can affect both men and women although breast cancer, including inherited breast cancer, is far more common in women than men. Genes are segments of DNA that contain information passed down from parents to their children.
Genes serve as the blueprint for many features.
They affect how we grow, how we look, and our overall health. Changes in genetic information may cause a gene to malfunction resulting in decreased protection from diseases such as breast cancer. Some genes have been associated with an increased risk for breast cancer. When functioning properly, BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes help the body prevent development of cancer. While breast cancer is a common disease, very few cases are due to inherited genetic mutations, unlike some other hereditary diseases.