BARD1 is the name of a new breast cancer gene that was just discovered by a group of researchers in Iceland. They believe it works with the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 to increase the chances of developing breast cancer by a significant amount.

In 15%–25% of familial breast cancers either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 is defective. The BRCA1 protein forms a heterodimer with the protein BARD1, which is a related protein. In previous studies it has been shown that the BARD1 variant Cys557Ser is associated with some breast cancers.

In this study the genes of 1,090 women with breast cancer and 703 women without it were compared. It was found that the Cys557Ser variant was almost 2 times as likely in women who had breast cancer. Women who had both the BARD1 mutation and a specific mutation on BRCA2 had an even greater chance of developing breast cancer.

This BARD1 variant has not been found in women who are Chinese, Japanese, African-American or Yoruban, but is present in some European families.

To learn more you can read the research article at the Public Library of Science Medicine.

(Technorati Tags: breast cancer, BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, gene, health)