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# New Tool Helps Women Assess Risk for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancers
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/breast_cancer_0508140838/
- Published: 2014-05-08T21:38:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T14:08:29.000Z
- Description: The CDC points women to a new tool, Know:BRCA, that explains the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and helps assess the chance of carrying a mutation that raises breast and ovarian cancer risk. About 9,000 US women under 40 are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Drug, Health News, #vivvo-import

## New Tool Helps Women Assess Risk for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancers

*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent this bulletin at 05/08/2014 05:34 PM EDT*

| Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older, but about 9,000 women who are younger than 40 years old are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United States. Two genes influence [risk for breast cancer:](http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic%5Finfo/risk%5Ffactors.htm?s%5Fcid=cancer%5Fbrca1&ref=foodconsumer.org) BRCA1 and BRCA2\. When one or both of them have a *mutation* (change), they increase your breast and ovarian cancer risk. The new [*Know:*BRCA tool](http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/young%5Fwomen/knowbrca.htm?s%5Fcid=cancer%5Fbrca2&ref=foodconsumer.org) can help you learn about BRCA genes and assess your risk of having a BRCA mutation. Learning your risk can help you and your doctor make important decisions about your health. If you learn that you have a BRCA gene mutation, you can take important steps to reduce your cancer risk. Learn more about [breast cancer in young women.](http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/young%5Fwomen/?s%5Fcid=cancer%5Fbrca3&ref=foodconsumer.org) | [](http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/young%5Fwomen/knowbrca.htm?s%5Fcid=cancer%5Fbrca4&ref=foodconsumer.org) |
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