SUSCEPTIBILITY GENES FOR BREAST-CANCER

In an era in which the importance of a scientific advance often appears to be measured by the amount of media coverage it generates, the level of reporting of the recent identification of BRCA1, a susceptibility gene for breast cancer on chromosome 17 and the first such gene to be isolated, suggests that this discovery is the most exciting breakthrough in modern times. Earlier news coverage of the “race” to find BRCA1 was noteworthy for the amount of media attention focused on something that had yet to be accomplished. This general interest in BRCA1 is illustrated by the fact that… © 1994, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.