We have ONE main aim…to prevent breast and other cancers in women and men with a high genetic risk.

About 12,000 Australian families carry breast cancer genetic faults. They have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. To find out more about these mutations kConFab collects biological samples and genetic, medical and social information from families with strong histories of breast cancer. This information is used to study familial breast cancer - how to prevent it and smarter and faster ways to detect and treat it more effectively. This information is also relevant to women with breast and ovarian cancer who do not have a strong family history of breast cancer.

One in nine Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer

But the risk is not spread evenly – those women with a family history are at a higher risk.

Those at highest risk belong to families who have mutations in the breast cancer genes, known as BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, p53 and PTEN. The mutations are passed from one generation to the next.

Everyone who inherits a mutation is at increased risk of developing cancer: breast, ovarian, fallopian tube and pancreatic cancer in women, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer in men – yes, men also develop breast cancer in high risk families. All too often, these genetic cancers arise early in life, often during childbearing years and the middle of a career.

There is help. People with strong family histories of breast, ovarian and other cancers can now be offered genetic testing to discover whether they carry a mutation in one of the known breast cancer genes. Frequent clinical surveillance to detect cancer at its earliest stage, when the chance of a cure is greater, is also available.

kConFab is unique in terms of the quality with which families have been characterised and data collected

• About 12,000 Australian families carry genetic faults in breast cancer genes.
• We collect family histories, biological samples and comprehensive life style and clinical data from “high risk” Australian families. We are regarded as the best publicly-available resource for familial breast, ovarian and prostate cancer in the world.
• We are the major driver of breast cancer research in Australia and provide lifestyle data and biological samples to more than 186 research projects here and overseas.
• It is increasingly clear that studying familial cancers can provide invaluable insights into how to prevent and treat ‘sporadic’ cancers that occurs in people without a family history

We MUST do more research.
We MUST reach more families.
We MUST…

• identify ALL the genes responsible for familial breast cancer.
• discover the best ways to detect tumours at the earliest stages.
• provide the best forms of counselling and psychological support.
• pinpoint the genetic and lifestyle factors that may help protect against the disease.
• develop new ways of preventing cancer.

We need hundreds, perhaps thousands, of families to generate enough statistical evidence to provide unambiguous answers to these questions.