BRCA2 and male breast carcinoma: Our studies suggest a potential functional link between the CHEK2 kinase and the BRCA2 tumour suppressor, which may explain in part the increased incidence of male breast cancer observed in families with germline mutations in both of these genes (Couch et al, 1996; Haraldsson et al, 1998; Meijers-Heijboer et al, 2002).