The genetics of breast cancer: risk factors for disease.

ABSTRACT: The genetic factors known to be involved in breast cancer risk comprise about 30 genes. These include the high-penetrance early-onset breast cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, a number of rare cancer syndrome genes, and rare genes with more moderate penetrance. A larger group of common variants has more recently been identified through genome-wide association studies. Quite a number of these common variants are mapped to genomic regions without being firmly associated with specific genes. It is thought that most of these variants have gene regulatory functions, but their precise roles in disease susceptibility are not well understood. Common variants account for only a small percentage of the risk of disease because they have low penetrance. Collectively, the breast cancer genes identified to

SUBMITTER: Collins A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3681174 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature