Recently, scientists have begun to isolate genes responsible for hereditary breast cancer. An altered BRCA-1 has been linked to the development of breast and ovarian cancer. In 1995, scientists developed experimental tests for detecting several recently discovered cancer genes, including BRCA-1. However preliminary studies have shown that testing positive for an altered BRCA-1 gene does not necessarily mean a woman will develop breast cancer.
Scientists have no way of knowing yet which women fall into that category.
In addition, because BRCA-1 alterations occur in many different places scattered throughout the gene, developing an accurate test will be very difficult to do. BRCA-2 apparently triggers breast cancer in males as well as in females. There are specific genes in the cells of our bodies that normally help to prevent tumors from forming. This protein plays a major role in cell growth. When it has been damaged or altered, P53 loses its ability to block cell growth.