HOW ARE BRCA1 AND BRCA2 MUTATIONS DETECTED?
• The best method of detecting a mutation is BRCA1 or BRCA2 is from the blood cells of someone who has had breast or ovarian cancer. A specialized laboratory can detect mutations in these genes by a method called DNA sequencing. Once a mutation has been found in a BRCA gene from someone with cancer, the laboratory can look for that same mutation in family members who have not had cancer.