The ratio of patients with BRCA1 to BRCA2 mutations was 1·5 to 1, which is similar to that reported in other large western population-based cohorts.2, 23 Deaths due to other malignancies were low in frequency in all groups reflecting the young age group; however, causes of deaths in patients who were BRCA1-positive included potentially preventable ovarian cancers at age 41–46 years. This evidence concerns the gene BRCA2 and ovarian cancer.