And, while this study assessed the effect of BRCA1 and Rad51 genetic variation on MBPC and risk of sporadic breast cancer, other genes in the HR pathway, such as BRCA2, PALB2, MERIT40, and others, could potentially be assessed for effects on the breast cancer intermediate phenotype, DNA repair capacity, as well as risk. The gene discussed is BRCA2; the disease is breast carcinoma.