Prevalence of BRCA1 and

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleIntroduction Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes confer high susceptibility to both breast and ovarian cancer. The life-time risk of breast cancer in women who carry a mutation is estimated to be up to 80%, but the risk may vary accord-ing to the specific mutation, by the country of residence, and by the family history [1-5]. In Colombia, breast cancer is the most common cancer and is the second most com-mon cause of death among women [6]. In 2008, approxi-mately 6,655 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in Colombia [6]. The age-standardized incidence for breast cancer was estimated to be 31.2 cases of breast cancer per 100,000 per year [6], compared to 83.2 per 100,000 per year in Canada and 127.3 cases per 100,000 per year (whites) in the USA (SEER Registry). Genetic testing for mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 has potentially important health implications as physician