Info all Articles

2013 was a record year for BRCA1/2 in the news. With Angelina Jolie’s op-ed on her BRCA1 mutation and decision to undergo double mastectomy and news coverage of the BRCA patent case, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer gained a lot of press, more so than ever before. But now in 2014, there is still a need to keep conversations active, since identifying increased cancer risk is necessary to benefit from increased surveillance and risk reduction measures.

Individuals with BRCA mutations have increased cancer risks, most notably breast and ovarian, that must be managed differently. Penn Medicine’s Basser Research Center for BRCA is actively working with Living Beyond Breast Cancer in to increase awareness of BRCA1 and BRCA2, with programming made possible from a Women of Vision grant from the Jewish Women’s Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

While BRCA1/2 mutations are more common in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, people of all backgrounds can have BRCA mutations.

Learn More About BRCA 

Want to learn more about whether you, friends, or family members are at risk for carrying a BRCA mutation?

Register to come to Main Line Reform on Sunday March 30th (link) or Tiferet Bet Israel on Sunday, April 6th (link).