ICARE Social Media Post October 2024

BRCA2: Male Breast Cancer Risks

Did you know that men can get breast cancer too?

In fact, Beyonce’s father, Matthew Knowles, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2019 and was found to have a BRCA2 mutation. Matthew’s children have a 50/50 chance of inheriting his BRCA2 mutation.

Men with an inherited BRCA2 mutation are at an increased risk for breast cancer, aggressive prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Approximately 1 out of every 12 men with breast cancer have a BRCA2 mutation; thus, all men with breast cancer should be offered genetic testing, which can be done with a simple blood or saliva sample.

Detecting an inherited cancer gene mutation early allows people to be proactive about their health by finding cancer early, preventing it altogether, and guiding treatment.

Permanent link to this article: https://inheritedcancer.net/post100724/