Breast cancerOvarian cancerProstate cancerColon cancerKidney cancerThyroid cancerBrain tumorsOsteosarcoma
Scientists have also found that some people with a CHEK2 mutation develop Li-Fraumeni syndrome — a rare hereditary condition that’s usually associated with the TP53 gene. (1) When DNA becomes damaged or DNA strands break, the CHK2 protein works with other proteins, including TP53. Together, they thwart cell division, keeping cells with bad DNA from dividing. When it’s mutated, it does not perform this function, and potentially cancerous cells are able to divide and reproduce themselves more readily. (1) Testing is usually not recommended to start until adulthood. (3) Talk to your doctor if you have questions about genetic testing. Additionally, you may want to see a genetic counselor, who can explain your test results in detail. If you have a mutation, there’s a 50/50 chance that you may pass it on to your son or daughter. (2) Finding a mutation is important because it can help you understand your chances of developing cancer. For instance, the CHEK2 mutation can double your risk of breast cancer. (4) Having a CHEK2 mutation doesn’t mean that you will definitely develop cancer; it only puts you at an increased risk. (3) If your test comes back positive, you might benefit from earlier cancer screenings. For instance, doctors may recommend that women with CHEK2 mutations start having yearly mammograms earlier than those without the mutation. Talk to your doctor about when to begin and how often to continue cancer screenings. (5)
