The BRCA14 Kit is used to detect and identify a panel of 14 most common mutations in the human BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in the Israeli population. The amplified DNA is tested for the following mutations: 185delAG, 5382insC, Y978X, 4153delA, C61G, A1708E, W1508X, E720X and 981delAT on the BRCA1 gene and 6174delT, 8765delAG, 5164del4, R2336P and IVS2G->A on the BRCA2 gene.

A woman has an 11-12% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, and a 1% lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer. Most cases of breast or ovarian cancer are sporadic; however, 5-10% of breast and ovarian cancers are hereditary. Two breast cancer susceptibility genes have been isolated, BRCA1 and BRCA2, with germ line mutations in these genes accounting for the majority of families with hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer. The hereditary forms of cancer due to mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 follow an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. The presence of a mutation in either BRCA1 or BRCA2 will increase an individual’s life time risk of developing cancer to 60-85%.