The hereditary cancer burden in Nepal is unknown, however a recent study of 50 women with breast cancer diagnosed in Kathmandu found the prevalence of a single mutation (BRCA1 185delAG) to be 8%, which is considerably higher than in unselected breast cancer cases in a western population [14], suggesting that hereditary cancer may be just as common, if not more so, than in other populations. The gene discussed is BRCA1; the disease is hereditary cancer.