Updated June 14, 2013.

Definition:

BRCA2 is a gene that, when healthy, prevents breast tumors from forming. BRCA2 makes a protein that is involved in DNA repair and genetic stability. If BRCA2 is broken (mutated), the protein that it makes is unable to repair broken DNA, leaving your breast cells susceptible to the growth of cancer.

Looking for info on BRCA1 genes? Read more.

Also Known As: breast cancer 2, early onset

Common Misspellings: BCRA2

Examples: There are more than 450 known mutations of the BRCA2 gene, most of which increase the risk of developing breast cancer. BRCA2 was identified in 1995, and is associated with hereditary breast cancer, as well as ovarian, male breast, pancreatic, prostate, laryngeal, and ocular cancers.

<sub>Image Source:

Pellegrini, L., Yu, D.S., Lo, T., Anand, S., Lee, M., Blundell, T.L., Venkitaraman, A.R. (2002) Insights into DNA recombination from the structure of a RAD51-BRCA2 complex Nature 420: 287-293, Courtesy of Protein Data Bank, Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics (RCSB).</sub>