Prostate cancer susceptibility genes

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BRCA 1 and BRCA2

BRCA 1 and BRCA 2

Men with BRCA mutations have an increased risk of getting prostate, breast or pancreatic cancer. For example, 12 or 13 men in every 100 will get prostate cancer before the age of 80. But out of every 100 men who have the BRCA2 gene mutation, 20 will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Read about lifetime risks

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ATM

ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated gene)

Men with a germline mutation in the ATM gene have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer, and the prostate cancer might develop at a younger age.

If a person does have the faulty ATM gene:

  • they can pass it on to their children.
  • each child has a 50% (1 in 2) chance of being born with it. Pregnancy planning options are available to people who want to prevent the faulty gene from being passed on.
     

Estimated lifetime cancer risk for carriers of germline pathogenic variants in ATM
Image: Estimated lifetime cancer risk for carriers of germline pathogenic variants in ATM

 

CHEK2

CHEK2

Men with a germline mutation in the CHEK2 gene have an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Estimated lifetime cancer risk for carriers of germline pathogenic variants in CHEK2
Image: Estimated lifetime cancer risk for carriers of germline pathogenic variants in CHEK2

MLH1 MSH2 MSH6 PMS2

MLH1 MSH2 MSH6 PMS2

Germline mutations in these genes are associated with Lynch Syndrome and have associated increased risk of prostate cancer and other cancers (include link to lynch syndrome information).

Germline gene mutations have two important implications for patients: potential prostate cancer treatment planning and potential family cancer risk.

 

Estimated lifetime cancer risk for carriers of germline pathogenic variants in MLH1
Image: Estimated lifetime cancer risk for carriers of germline pathogenic variants in MLH1

Estimated lifetime cancer risk for carriers of the germline pathogenic variants in MSH2
Image: Estimated lifetime cancer risk for carriers of the germline pathogenic variants in MSH2

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