MILWAUKEE -- Breast cancer may first come to mind when we hear about the BRCA genetic mutation.
Health officials want men to realize they can carry the BRCA gene, too. The mutation could put them at higher risk of developing prostate, pancreas, colon and even melanoma cancers.
There are more than 1,000 BRCA mutations both men and women are at risk of. Eric Dunlap wishes he had taken a genetic test earlier.
"My grandmother had breast cancer, my mother had breast cancer, but I never worried," said Dunlap.
Dunlap was diagnosed with breast cancer 18 years ago. He went through a mastectomy and chemotherapy.
"Shock couldn't believe it, being a male," said Dunlap.
A new study reveals women take the test to see if they have a BRCA gene nearly three times more than men.
Parents with the genetic mutation have a 50-percent change of passing it to their daughter or son.
It is important to talk to your doctor about your personal health decisions early on to help prevent the severity of BRCA mutations.
