Breast cancer may be caused by various factors, one of which is genetics. It is estimated that the almost ten percent of all incidents of breast cancer is caused by abnormal genes, most of which can be traced within the patient’s family.

Two genes are commonly associated with incidents of breast cancer. These are BRCA1 and BRCA2, which stands for Breast Cancer gene one and Breast Cancer gene two, respectively.

When functioning normally, these two genes are responsible in keeping the breast cells growing healthily and normally. They also prevent the growth of cancer cells. However, in some cases these genes contain abnormalities and/or mutations which are related to a higher risk of acquiring breast cancer. Most women, who have been found to have abnormal BRCA1 genes or BRCA2 genes and later diagnosed with breast cancer, have a family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or both. This accounts for the conclusion that genetic family history affects the occurrence of breast cancer.

The odds of getting abnormal breast cancer genes are stiff. There are only few breast cancer patients whose cancer was caused by BRCA1 and BRCA2 abnormalities. However, it is nonetheless useful to know when one should be on her guard against having these genes. For example, if one has blood relatives such as mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and sisters on either side of the family with a member who had breast cancer diagnosed before they reached fifty years of age, or there are incidents of both breast cancer and ovarian cancer in the family, especially if found in one individual, she must begin to worry about getting breast cancer. The same is true if there are women in the family who have had cancer in both their breasts or if a man from the family has had it. In addition there is a special group of families who were found to be particularly prone to breast cancer, the Ashkenazi Jewish family, who come from Eastern Europe.

The breast cancer gene abnormalities mentioned above are usually found to occur in younger women, meaning those whose who are diagnosed with the disease before they reached the age of forty, regardless of their family history. Thus, women should start having themselves checked for breast cancer early on so that proper prevention can be undertaken, especially for those who have a history of the disease in their family.