Although BRCA1 mutations have been identified in 54% of NPC in Southeast Europe,26 its mutation rate is extremely rare in southern China, where the total BRCA1/BRCA2/ATM mutation of 416 NPC cases from four independent genomic studies only accounted for 1.68%.7, 27, 28, 29, 30. The gene discussed is ATM; the disease is nasopharyngeal carcinoma.