Ryan Polselli

The terms BRCA1 and BRCA2 (sometimes pronounced "bracka" 1 and 2) generally refer to important portions of the human genome that make proteins in cells that suppress tumors (typically breast or ovarian cancer) by repairing DNA that may be damaged during the course of one's life. Any damage to the BRCA 1 or 2 gene segments therefore predisposes an individual to breast and ovarian cancer. Although there are many similarities between the two genes, there are many important differences that are important to understand. In general, both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations have been found to increase the lifetime risk of breast cancer very roughly between 50 and 85%. BRCA1 mutations however result in a higher risk of lifetime ovarian cancer (up to 60% in some studies) than BRCA2 (up to 20% in some studies). There is also a predilection for the two mutations to present with different types of cancer with some differences between the sexes. For example, BRCA2 is more likely to...

Hope this helps get the word out that screening mammograms are still one of the greatest tools we have to save the important women in our lives. Dr. Ryan Polselli FaceBook Video     Dr. Ryan Polselli, Breast Imaging Radiologist, dedicated to improving mammography, and founder and CEO of MammoLink®

"I was told I have a fibroadenoma, does this put me at a higher risk for developing breast cancer?" --Anonymous Patient Fibroadenomas are the most common mass found in the breast. They are benign. They do not impart any more risk of breast cancer than normal breast tissue. Although fibroadenomas have a fairly characteristic appearance on mammogram or ultrasound, cancer can sometimes look the same. For this reason it's a good to keep an eye on any mass that is assumed to be a fibroadenoma and make sure there is no change in appearance or rapid growth. If the mass which is assumed to be a fibroadenoma is large, there is rapid growth, or the uncertainty of diagnosis makes the patient uncomfortable, they should be biopsied with a needle. If the results from the needle biopsy reliably confirm the mass is a fibroadenoma, they can be left alone. If for some reason the needle biopsy is not conclusive or the diagnosis doesn't fit with the appearance or behavior...