Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on September 5, 2015

Members of the Jewish community who trace their roots to Central or Eastern Europe are known as Ashkenazi Jews. Although today members of this community are found around the world, Ashkenazi Jews for centuries were a geographically isolated population. The isolation experienced by this population means its members can trace their ancestry back to a small number of members known as founders.

Over time, the genetic traits of these early Ashkenazi founders have been passed down through generations, including a greater frequency of carrying certain changes in genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are associated with an increased risk of cancer. Everyone has two copies of each of these genes, one that is inherited from their mother, and one from their father.

Some specific changes, or mutations, in BRCA1 and BRCA2 occur more frequently in Ashkenazi Jews than in the general population. These mutations increase the risk of certain types of cancer, including breast and ovarian in women and breast and prostate in men. About one out of every 40 individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry have a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, as compared to one out of every 800 members of the general population, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Although these genetic mutations increase the risk of developing some cancers, not everyone who carries a gene mutation will develop cancer. And, despite these genetic abnormalities, prevention and lifestyle strategies can still be helpful in preventing cancer.

More here:
Ashkenazi Jews and Cancer - Fred Hutch

Category: Ashkenazi
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