BRCA

¹ American

noun

either of two genes BRCA1 or BRCA2 that, if inherited in a mutated form, may predispose some carriers to develop breast or ovarian cancer.

B.R.C.A. ² American

abbreviation

Brotherhood of Railway Carmen of America.

BRCA Scientific

/ bē′är′sē′ā′ /

One of two genes (designated BRCA1 and BRCA2) that help repair damage to DNA, but when inherited in a defective state increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

Etymology

Origin of BRCA

1900–95; initialism from br(east) and ca(ncer)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

According to her statement, in February 2023, Munn took a genetic test that checked for cancer genes — including BRCA, the most well-known breast cancer gene — and tested negative across the board, only to find out two months later that she had breast cancer.

From Salon

She said she tested negative for all of them, including BRCA, the most well-known breast cancer gene.

From New York Times

An All of Us genetic counselor broke the news to the Philadelphia woman that she was at increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer because of a gene named BRCA-2.

From Seattle Times

It also plans to offer Jewish people genetic screening - as up to one in 40 has Brca mutations, linked to a higher risk of breast, ovarian and prostate cancers, compared with one in 400 in the general population.

From BBC

Dr. Hulick said the risk of developing breast cancer was 40 percent to 60 percent greater among women with the PALB2 mutation, similar to the risk from BRCA.

From New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023