BRCA 1 (named for "breast cancer 1") is a human gene located on the long arm of the 17th chromosome (17q21). This gene, called a tumor suppressor gene, encodes a protein whose function is the suppression of tumor formation. Its exact mechanism of action is not known. A mutation in this gene can lead to an increased risk of certain cancers, particularly breast cancer (in both women and men) and ovarian cancer.

External links

• Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man: OMIM 113705 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=113705)