Key Stage 4 Student worksheet Information cards The BRAC1 gene codes for a protein that helps repair damage to DNA. The early signs of breast cancer can The average woman in the UK has a A female BRCA1 carrier has a 60 – 90 People who inherit a faulty copy that be detected with mammograms or 12.5 per cent chance of developing per cent chance of developing breast has a mutation are less able to repair MRI scans. These can pick up cancers breast cancer at some point in her cancer and around 40 – 60 per cent damage that accumulates in their when they’re small, in one place, and life. chance of ovarian cancer. DNA over time so they’re at higher easier to treat successfully. risk of cancer. Only about one in 20 (5 per cent) – of The ovaries and fallopian tubes can the 50,000 women diagnosed with be removed to stop ovarian cancer Breast tissue can be removed by A woman is at a higher risk of breast breast cancer every year carries an developing. Removing the ovaries in having a double mastectomy. This is cancer if she has close relatives that inherited faulty gene like BRCA1. younger women brings on early major surgery but greatly reduces have had breast cancer. Most breast cancers arise from menopause and makes them the risk of developing breast cancer. genetic damage that accumulates infertile. over a person’s lifetime. The risk of developing cancer can be A faulty BRCA1 gene can be inherited reduced by living a healthy lifestyle No effective ovarian cancer from a person’s mother or father. Some women who inherit a faulty (exercising regularly, eating a healthy screening methods currently exist so Each child of a parent who carries BRCA1 gene will never develop diet, not smoking). The older a it is difficult to detect at an early the gene has a 50 per cent chance of breast or ovarian cancer. person gets, the higher their risk of stage. inheriting it. developing cancer.
Key Stage 4 Student worksheet Information cards The average woman in the UK has a 12.5 per cent chance of developing breast cancer at some point in her life. A female BRCA1 carrier has a 60 – 90 per cent chance of developing breast cancer and around 40 – 60 per cent chance of ovarian cancer. The BRAC1 gene codes for a protein that helps repair damage to DNA. People who inherit a faulty copy that has a mutation are less able to repair damage that accumulates in their DNA over time so they’re at higher risk of cancer. The early signs of breast cancer can be detected with mammograms or MRI scans. These can pick up cancers when they’re small, in one place, and easier to treat successfully. A woman is at a higher risk of breast cancer if she has close relatives that have had breast cancer. Only about one in 20 (5 per cent) – of the 50,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer every year carries an inherited faulty gene like BRCA1. Most breast cancers arise from genetic damage that accumulates over a person’s lifetime. The ovaries and fallopian tubes can be removed to stop ovarian cancer developing. Removing the ovaries in younger women brings on early menopause and makes them infertile. Breast tissue can be removed by having a double mastectomy. This is major surgery but greatly reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. The risk of developing cancer can be reduced by living a healthy lifestyle (exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, not smoking). The older a person gets, the higher their risk of developing cancer. A faulty BRCA1 gene can be inherited from a person’s mother or father. Each child of a parent who carries the gene has a 50 per cent chance of inheriting it. Some women who inherit a faulty BRCA1 gene will never develop breast or ovarian cancer. No effective ovarian cancer screening methods currently exist so it is difficult to detect at an early stage.