The full name of the BRCA1 gene is “breast cancer 1, early onset,” and it codes for a tumor suppressor protein. Tumor suppressor proteins help repair DNA that has become damaged in order to ensure the ...

A study led by Harvard Medical School researchers shed new light on how even a single defective copy of the tumor-suppressor BRCA1 gene can increase patients’ risk of developing breast cancer.

The decision to start or add to your family is always a big one, and when you have a higher risk of cancer because of a BRCA gene mutation, it may feel even bigger. But having a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant ...