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What are the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes? Primer on genetic mutations linked to cancers

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FILE- In this Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011 file photo, actress Angelina Jolie poses for a portrait to promote her directorial debut of the film "In the Land of Blood and Honey" in New York. Jolie authored an op-ed for Tuesday’s May 14, 2013 New York Times where she writes that in April she finished three months of surgical procedures to remove both breasts as a preventive measure. She says she’s kept the process private but is writing about it now with hopes she can help other women. (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri, File) ITALY OUT

TORONTO – Angelina Jolie’s bombshell revelation of her double mastectomy due to a genetic cancer risk has brought renewed attention to specific genes linked to the development of both breast and ovarian cancers.

The Oscar winner revealed in an op-ed piece published in the New York Times that she carries the BRCA1 gene and opted to remove her breasts as a preventive measure.

University of Toronto associate professor Kelly Metcalfe said if women are found to have mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, they have a very high risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Metcalfe said those risks can change depending on the woman’s personal situation in terms of her age and family history.

Metcalfe said there are certain criteria an individual must meet to be eligible for genetic testing, which involves personal and family histories of cancer.

Individuals who don’t meet the criteria can have genetic testing done in the U.S. for about $3,000.

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The Canadian Press

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