Can lifestyle influence genetics?
Beth Y Karlan
This article has no abstract so we have provided the first paragraph of the full text.
They say "you are what you eat", but can diet and exercise alter the fate predetermined by our genetics? BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are the strongest risk factors for developing breast and ovarian cancers. For women who have inherited one of these mutations, the lifetime risk approaches 80% for breast cancer and 15–60% for ovarian cancer.1,2 Variations in penetrance suggest that factors other than gene mutations may influence the risk of cancer in susceptible individuals. There is mounting evidence to link body mass index (BMI) and level of physical activity with breast and ovarian cancer risk.1,3 Are there molecular mechanisms linking these lifestyle factors with BRCA-associated cancer penetrance?
Full text of this article is available with one of the following:
- Personal subscription Purchase your own personal subscription to this journal. Already a subscriber? Please log in for immediate access.
- 7 day single article pass for US$18 In order to purchase this article you must be a registered user. Please register or log in.
- Site licence Learn more about institutional site licences
Current Subscribers
Please log in to access the full text article using the login box at the top of the page.