The concept and practice of BRCA genetic testing became extremely popular after Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie publicized her results in 2013 alongside her decision to undergo a double mastectomy. A merciless but effective way to avoid getting breast cancer. Researchers even found that many women rushed to genetic testing the days after her announcement. The “Angelina effect” was so strong that based on insurance claims for nearly 10 million women aged 18 to 64, BRCA testing rose 64 percent in the US in the 15 daysafter Jolie described her BRCA results and surgery.Although that was the outcome of an overhyped event, it is worth looking at what risks are associated with BRCA genes and what a BRCA genetic test can tell a tester. As described on the website of the US National Cancer Institute, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes producing tumor suppressor proteins, which help repair damaged DNA. When either of these genes is mutated or altered, such that its protein product either is not made or does not function correctly, DNA damage may not be repaired properly. As a result, cells are more likely to develop additional genetic alterations that can lead to cancer.Together, BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations account for about 20-25 percent of hereditary breast cancers; and about 5-10 percent of all breast cancers, which means a quite elevated risk. These numbers are even higher in the case of ovarian cancers: mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for 15 percent of that cancer type overall. Looking at prostate cancer cases, Prostate Cancer UK found that only 0.44 percent and 1.2 percent of such cases carry mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 respectively. So, while the risk of prostate cancer increases with these mutations, most of the prostate cancer cases are not linked to BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. That’s one of the reasons why I decided that instead of me undergoing the Dante Labs genetic test, I will ask an enthusiastic female volunteer.