By Dr Ellie Cannon

PUBLISHED: 16:00 EST, 25 May 2013 | UPDATED: 16:00 EST, 25 May 2013

Saving surgery: Actress Angelina Jolie had a double mastectomy after discovering the BRCA1 gene

Since Hollywood star Angelina Jolie revealed she had undergone a preventative mastectomy, newspapers have been awash with further reports and case studies of women opting for such radical surgery.

It also emerged last week that a British father underwent similar pre-emptive surgery in his case, having his prostate removed after discovering that he carries a defective gene that boosts his risk of cancer.

This was a landmark case but it also raises many questions for men and about the future of genetic testing.

How does the BRCA gene affect men?

There are two BRCA genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2.

We know that in women these confer a risk of breast and ovarian cancer. More recent research has looked at the effects of these genes on men.

What emerged from the most recent studies is that BRCA2 particularly seems to be associated with a much higher chance of developing aggressive prostate cancer.

See the article here:
Could MEN need surgery to beat Angelina Jolie's cancer gene?

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