Learning you have a BRCA variant* can cause many different emotions. You likely have questions about what this result means for you and what you can do. You may also wonder what your result means for your family. There are important conversations you should have with healthcare professionals. In this article, we’ll help you begin to think about these conversations and explore what next steps you can take.
This article focuses on BRCA results for males. To view information relevant to females, click here.
What this result means
People who have one of the BRCA variants that we test for are at increased risk for certain cancers. Males with a variant have an increased risk for male breast cancer and may have an increased risk for prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer. Females with a variant have a greatly increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer and may have an increased risk for pancreatic cancer. However, it’s important to remember that an increased risk does not mean you will definitely develop cancer. There are other factors that may impact your risk — and there may be options for screening that you can discuss with a healthcare professional.
For you
Studies indicate that 1-2% of males with a BRCA1 variant and 7-8% of those with a BRCA2 variant develop male breast cancer during their lifetime, compared to about 0.1% in the general population.
Males with a BRCA1 variant may also have a higher risk for prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer. Those with a BRCA2 variant also have a higher risk for prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer.
For your family
BRCA variants are passed down through families, so your result for this report may be relevant to your family members. If any female biological relatives — like your mother, and any sisters or female children — also have a BRCA variant, they would have a greatly increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer and may have an increased risk for pancreatic cancer. If any male biological relatives have this variant, they would have an increased risk for male breast cancer and may have an increased risk for prostate and pancreatic cancer.
What should I do now?
We strongly recommend that people with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant speak to a healthcare professional about their result.
Next steps
- Talk to your doctor or a genetic counselor about confirming your result. It’s important to confirm a 23andMe BRCA result with an independent genetic test prescribed by your own healthcare provider. This is because results you receive from 23andMe are not intended for diagnostic use. If you're not sure who to talk to, genetic counselors are a good option. Genetic counselors are trained to help people understand genetic testing options, and they can work with other healthcare professionals to coordinate your care. Ask your healthcare provider about access to genetic counseling services, or see below to learn how to search for a genetic counselor near you.
- Discuss cancer screening options. Your doctor will likely talk with you about different options for cancer screening. Cancer screening can help detect certain cancers at an earlier stage, when they may be more treatable. It is recommended that males with a BRCA variant be screened for male breast cancer. Your doctor can also provide guidance about whether prostate cancer screening is appropriate, based on the genetic variant you carry. If you have a family history of pancreatic cancer, your doctor may also recommend pancreatic cancer screening.
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Consider talking to your family about your result. Since BRCA variants are passed down from generation to generation, your family members may also carry the variant you do. Informing other family members about potential genetic health risks so that they can take action can be an important benefit of finding out about your own BRCA result.
Your result may be particularly important for female family members. For females carrying a BRCA variant, the risk of developing breast cancer is between 45% and 85%, compared to about 13% in the general population. In addition, females with a BRCA variant have up to a 46% chance of developing ovarian cancer, compared to 1-2% in the general population.
We encourage you to review our help article, Shared Risk: Talking To Family Members About Genetic Test Results, which includes a few important questions to think about and some ideas that may help you find the right approach for sharing genetic risk information.
Things you and a healthcare professional might consider
- Family history. If you have a family history of prostate, breast, ovarian, pancreatic, or other cancers, make sure you bring this up with your doctor in addition to your BRCA result. Your doctor will likely talk to you about the history of cancer in your family when helping you determine appropriate next steps.
- Family planning: Because genetic variants can be passed down from generation to generation, it's important to consider what your BRCA result could mean for future children. Consider talking to your clinician about options for starting a family, such as BRCA testing for a partner or using artificial reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF) or frozen embryo transfer. Determining a partner's BRCA status can be important to understand certain risks to future children.
- Lifestyle factors. Although research is ongoing, maintaining a healthy body weight appears to be important for reducing cancer risk. And eating a healthy diet and staying physically active are always good ideas for keeping your body healthy overall.
Need more support?
There are many resources out there that can help people with BRCA variants. These resources can be especially valuable if you do not currently have a personal doctor or other healthcare professional to work with.
Genetic counselors
Genetic counselors are healthcare professionals who specialize in hereditary conditions and are specifically trained to help people understand their genetics in the context of personal and family history. They can provide both medical knowledge and emotional support. Speaking with a genetic counselor about your result can ensure that you have a clear understanding of what your result means for you personally. A genetic counselor can also help you think about different screening options, and work with other healthcare professionals to coordinate your care.
A doctor or other healthcare professional may be able to provide you with a recommendation for a genetic counselor. You can also search for a provider in your area.
Education and support from advocacy organizations
Learning that you have a BRCA variant can be difficult, but know that you’re not alone. There are several organizations that provide support resources for people with a genetic risk of cancer. Services offered by these organizations may include educational materials, online discussion forums, peer-to-peer support programs, helplines, and access to genetic counselors. This list of resources is for informational purposes to help you navigate your healthcare decision making and may be updated over time.
- Breastcancer.org: Breastcancer.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the most reliable, complete, and up-to-date information about breast cancer and a robust online peer support community. Their mission is to help individuals and their loved ones make sense of the complex medical and personal information about breast health and breast cancer, so they can make the best decisions for their lives.
- FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered): FORCE is the voice of the hereditary cancer community, providing support, education and awareness to help those facing hereditary breast, ovarian, prostate and related cancers know their healthcare options and make informed decisions. Specially trained volunteers offer one-on-one support where you can be matched with other BRCA+ individuals, and learn how to manage hereditary cancer risk.
- Sharsheret: Sharsheret, Hebrew for chain, is a national organization supporting Jewish individuals and families, of all backgrounds, facing breast and ovarian cancer-those who are diagnosed and those at high risk. Anyone with questions or concerns about the BRCA gene can speak directly with Sharsheret’s genetic counselor, get connected with one-on-one peer support or access their website for a variety of genetics resources and more information about how hereditary breast cancer and ovarian cancer affects families.
- Susan G. Komen: Susan G. Komen is the world's largest breast cancer organization, having funded more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit outside of the federal government since their inception, while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. The Komen Breast Care Helpline offers free breast cancer information, psychosocial support and information about resources for both males and females with questions or concerns regarding breast cancer, including risk associated with genetic mutations.
*The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks, including the 23andMe PGS Genetic Health Risk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants). Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. The test is not intended to diagnose any disease and does not describe a person's overall risk of developing any type of cancer. It is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatments. Warnings & Limitations: The 23andMe PGS Genetic Health Risk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) is indicated for reporting of 44 variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The report describes if a person's genetic result is associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer and may be associated with an increased risk for prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and potentially other cancers. The variants included in this report do not represent the majority of the BRCA1/BRCA2 variants in people of most ethnicities. This report does not include variants in other genes linked to hereditary cancers and the absence of variants included in this report does not rule out the presence of other genetic variants that may impact cancer risk. This report is for over-the-counter use by adults over the age of 18, and provides genetic information to inform discussions with a healthcare professional. The PGS test is not a substitute for visits to a healthcare professional for recommended screenings or appropriate follow-up. Results should be confirmed by an independent genetic test prescribed by your own healthcare provider before taking any medical action.