Therefore, our data suggest that is possible to institute a pathology-based and more sensitive and specific method for prioritising women with early-onset breast cancer for BRCA1 mutation testing, similar to that which already applies to colorectal cancer and the DNA mismatch repair genes (Boland et al, 1998; Vasen et al, 1999; Southey et al, 2005; Lenz, 2005; Mead et al, 2007). The gene discussed is BRCA1; the disease is breast carcinoma.