Figure 1.

Cell-nonautonomous mechanisms of breast and ovarian cancer predisposition in BRCA1 mutation carriers. The diagram on the left illustrates various organs or systems other than those carrying an elevated cancer risk that are influenced by the BRCA1 mutation carrier state. These multi-systemic effects lead to alterations in levels of hormones and cytokines such as those referred to as “mediators” in the figure. Such alterations interplay with cell-autonomous effects of the BRCA1 mutation carrier state resulting in increased cancer risk in the organs shown on the right.