Breast and ovarian cancer gene linked to Orkney islands, study finds

Research from a new ground-breaking study has found one in 100 people who have Orkney heritage have a gene variant that causes a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.

Published in the ‘European Journal of Human Genetics’ last week, leading geneticists from the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh have linked a variant in the gene BRCA1 which can cause breast and ovarian cancer, to a historic origin in Westray, Orkney.

Research, that was compiled by scientists from the universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh, found one in 100 people who have grandparents from the islands off the north-east coast of Scotland have a mutation of the gene.

Experts also discovered the gene mutation was repeatedly spotted in women from Orkney who have the cancers, most of whom could also trace their family ancestry back to Westray.

Currently in Scotland a test is available to those who know of a direct family connection to the gene or have a history of ovarian or breast cancer.

Professor Zosia Miedzybrodza, Director of NHS North of Scotland Genetic Service, made it clear that developing cancer is not solely down to carrying the BRCA1 variant alone. She also noted that everybody has the BRCA genes, but not everyone has mutations in them – the genes are found in every cell in our body.

BRCA1 is a tumour suppressor gene that helps to protect us from developing cancer, according to the NHS, however a variant can affect the function of the gene which can increase the chance of developing breast, ovarian or prostate cancer and is more likely to occur at a younger age.

‘There are many complex factors, and some people with gene alterations will not get cancer,’ Professor Miedzybrodzka said. ‘However, we know that testing and the right follow-up can save lives.’

Professor Jim Wilson, Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Edinburgh added: ‘The fact that one in a 100 Orcadian women carry a high-risk variant for breast and ovarian cancer highlights the value of population studies such as Viking Genes, without which we would not know this.

‘It is imperative that Scottish island populations are represented in research, to allow equitable delivery of genomic medicine across the country.’

Image: d kah