Breast cancer in two or more first-degree relatives is a sign that the disease might run in your family. First-degree relatives include your mother, sisters and daughters. Another sign of a risk of inherited breast cancer is a first-degree relative who got breast cancer before she was 50 years old. If you have a first-degree relative with ovarian cancer, that might also mean that you risk carrying the breast cancer gene. Keep in mind, though, that the chances of inheriting breast cancer aren't high, even if someone in your family has had the disease.
Many women have mothers, daughters or sisters who have had breast cancer.
Two genes cause an increased risk of breast cancer in families. BRCA1 is also found in some women with ovarian cancer. Women from Ashkenazi Jewish families are more likely than other women to carry BRCA1. Your doctor can help you decide if a gene test might be useful for you. Talking with your doctor about the test is the first step.