BRCA genes, which increase the risk of breast cancer, are well studied in women, but less is known about their effects in men, so international scientists decided to review the existing evidence about the effects of these genes on men’s risk of developing various cancers. They found men who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and breast cancer. Because these genes are best known in women, men are much less likely to be offered or undergo genetic testing, resulting in lost opportunities to catch these diseases early, the researchers say. Identifying more male carriers of these genes could not only save men’s lives, they conclude, it could also help reduce the risk of these genes being passed on to future generations.
