Over sixty percent of women who inherit the so-called ‘breast cancer gene’ will develop the cancer for which it’s named.

Yet, that’s not the only type of cancer that women have to be concerned with, since the odds of developing ovarian cancer due to this genetic risk can be close to the same.

Women with a family history of these diseases are encouraged by their doctors to get tested so that any changes can be detected early when they’re easiest to treat.

However, it’s important to note that it’s not only women that should be screened for the breast cancer gene.

In fact, according to researchers, men account for 50 percent of carriers of the breast cancer gene. And if they’re not tested, they could be playing Russian roulette with their lives, since the genetic mutation – that has been for too long considered to be a female condition breast— can lead to three types of deadly cancers in men.

Men and BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations

The breast cancer gene is really mutations on two separate genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Surprising to many, men are equally as likely as women to inherit one of these mutations from their parents, putting them squarely at risk for the cancers that can result.

Not only that but because genes are inherited from generation to generation, there is a fifty percent chance that a male carrier of a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation shares this mutated gene with their biological offspring.

This means that men who have a mother who has had breast or ovarian cancer, need to be checked for the gene – and have their children screened, even if their children are boys, not girls.

Yet, that’s not happening nearly enough.

“Not enough men are getting genetic testing to see if they carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variant that increases their cancer risk,” says researcher Heather Cheng, MD, PhD, the director of the Fred Hutch Prostate Cancer Genetics Clinic. “And the men who know they are carriers get tested for their daughters, but don’t always know why it’s important for their own health.”

Male cancer risks from breast cancer gene

However, screening for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations could be one of the most important steps to catching cancer risk early that men can take.

That’s because a man who is positive for the breast cancer gene has a much higher risk of the three types of cancer. These include:

• Breast cancer – Only about 0.1% of men without the genetic mutations will develop breast cancer by the age of 70. Those numbers go up dramatically to 0.2%–1.2% of men with an inherited harmful change in BRCA1 developing male breast cancer and 1.8%–7.1% with BRCA2 mutations developing the condition by age 70.
• Pancreatic cancer – Whether male or female, up to 5% of people with the breast cancer gene will develop pancreatic cancer during their lifetime. Compare this to a rate of only about 1.7% of people in the general population.
• Prostate cancer – Approximately 10.6% of men without the breast cancer gene develop prostate cancer by the time they reach 80. However, up to 26% of men with BRCA1 mutations and up to 61% of those with BRCA2 mutations will get prostate cancer by the same age.

Additional studies have also found a possible link between BRCA mutations and other cancers, including melanoma and stomach cancer.

Know your risks, lower your odds

So if you have a family history of breast cancer, it’s vital to get screened, no matter your sex.

And if you find you’re genetically susceptible, begin taking steps right away to reduce your risks, starting with exercise…

Scientists from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found high-intensity exercise had a “mind-blowing” impact on cancer predisposition.

A good place to start is by eating walnuts since they have been found to change the expression of 456 genes in breast cancer tumors.

Another easy dietary change that could help is to eat yogurt, which could help lower inflammation and improve bacterial diversity to combat cancerous changes.

You might also consider adding flaxseeds to your yogurt. That’s because intestinal bacteria convert components in flaxseeds called lignans into enterolactone and enterodiol, which naturally balance hormones to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

They also generate specific miRNA responses that regulate the genes involved in breast cancer, including those that control cancer cell proliferation and migration.

Finally, remember that although genetic cancer risk is important to understand, your metabolic risk of the disease can outweigh it.

Sources:

BRCA Gene Changes: Cancer Risk and Genetic Testing — National Cancer Institute

BRCA1/2: Why men should be screened for the ‘breast cancer gene’ — EurekAlert!