Table 1

Proportions of probands with a germline ancestral mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 out of total tested (percentages in parentheses), by personal cancer history and age at testing in unaffected women, or age at first diagnosis in affected women


Age group*






Cancer status
Under 40 years
40–49 years
50–59 years
60 years or older
Total
Median age (years)

No breast or ovarian cancer
6/50 (12%)
3/48 (6%)
2/33 (6%)
1/17 (6%)
12/148 (8%)
44
Breast cancer only
15/40 (38%)
19/89 (21%)
4/68 (6%)
4/53 (8%)
42/250 (17%)
49
Ovarian cancer only
0/8 (0%)
3/6 (50%)
2/5 (40%)
2/3 (67%)
7/22 (32%)
44
Breast and ovarian cancer
0/0 (-)
1/1 (100%)
1/1 (100%)
1/2 (50%)
3/4 (75%)
59
Total
21/98 (21%)
26/144 (18%)
9/107 (8%)
8/75 (11%)
64/424 (15%)


*Age at testing for unaffected women, age at diagnosis in affected women

Apicella et al. Breast Cancer Res 2003 5:R206   doi:10.1186/bcr644