Gene Mutation BARD1 and Cancer Risk

What Is the BARD1 Gene?
BARD1 is a gene that works with the BRCA1 gene to repair damaged DNA in your body.
If You Carry a BARD1 Gene Mutation, What Cancers Are You at Risk For?
If a woman has a change, or mutation, in the BARD1 gene, she may be more likely to develop breast cancer and possibly ovarian cancer. In fact, the BARD1 gene is associated with the most aggressive breast cancer subtype, triple-negative breast cancer, according to Massachusetts General Hospital.
It’s not known if men with a BARD1 alteration have an increased risk of cancer, and it is possible that this mutation raises the risk of other cancers in both men and women.
Although BARD1 and BRCA1 collaborate with one another, they are separate genes. People with BARD1 defects typically don’t have BRCA1 mutations. (2)
How Does BARD1 Increase Your Risk for Cancer?
BARD1 interacts with the BRCA1 gene to help fix damaged DNA in the body. Additionally, it works as a tumor suppressor, meaning it stops cells from growing uncontrollably or dividing too quickly. (3)
Can You Be Tested for BARD1?
Yes, genetic testing is available to detect BARD1 mutations.
You might consider testing if your family members have gene abnormalities, you develop BARD1-related cancer, or you have other risk factors.
You’ll be asked to provide a blood or saliva sample that will be analyzed in a lab.
It’s a good idea to meet with a genetic counselor before being tested. This professional can assess your family history and help you understand how the test works. (4,5)
Why Is It Important to Know if You Are At Risk for BARD1?
Finding out you have a BARD1 gene mutation can help you better understand your risk of cancer. It’s also helpful information for family members.
Researchers are still trying to determine exactly how much a BARD1 mutation increases a person’s risk for cancer. One 2020 study suggests a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer are 2 to 4 times higher if she has the defect.
If you inherit a BARD1 mutation, you have a fifty-fifty chance of passing it on to each of your children.
Having a BARD1 defect doesn’t mean you will definitely develop cancer; it only means your risk is higher than those who don’t have the mutation. (4,5)
History of the BARD1 Gene: When Was It Discovered?
In 1996, a team of researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center first described how the BARD1 protein interacted with BRCA1 in an article published in the journal Nature Genetics. (6)
What Do You Do if You Test Positive for BARD1?
If you test positive for a BARD1 mutation, you may undergo earlier and more frequent cancer screenings.
Currently, there are no standard guidelines for lowering the risk of breast cancer in women with BARD1 mutations. But, you should talk to your doctor about an individualized cancer screening approach.
Your doctor may want you to have tests, such as mammograms and breast MRIs, performed at a younger age and more often. Or you might take certain medicines that can lower your risk of breast cancer.
Talk to your doctor about your options. (2)

Ryland J. Gore, MD, MPH
Medical Reviewer
In addition to her professional responsibilities, Gore previously served on the board of directors for Every Woman Works, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower women and help them transition into independence and stability from common setbacks. Gore served as the chairwoman of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign in Atlanta for three years (2019 to 2021). She is currently the co-director of Nth Dimensions’ Strategic Mentoring Program and the alumni board chair of the Summer Health Professions Educational Program (SHPEP), which is a collaborative effort by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Association of American Medical Colleges, and the American Dental Education Association.
Gore is a highly sought after speaker, consultant, and lecturer on breast cancer and breast health, as well as women’s empowerment topics.

Julie Lynn Marks
Author
Julie Marks is a freelance writer with more than 20 years of experience covering health, lifestyle, and science topics. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, her work has been featured in WebMD, SELF, Healthline, A&E, Psych Central, Verywell Health, and more. Her goal is to compose helpful articles that readers can easily understand and use to improve their well-being. She is passionate about healthy living and delivering important medical information through her writing.
Prior to her freelance career, Marks was a supervising producer of medical programming for Ivanhoe Broadcast News. She is a Telly award winner and Freddie award finalist. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, traveling, and cheering on the UCF Knights.
- Deleted, September 13, 2022.
- General Information for People With Inherited BARD1 Mutations. FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered. September 19, 2022.
- BARD1 BRCA1 Associated RING Domain 1. National Library of Medicine. September 6, 2022.
- Understanding Your Positive BARD1 Genetic Test Result. Ambry Genetics.
- BARD1. Invitae.
- Wu LC, Wang ZW, Tsan JT, et al. Identification of a RING Protein That Can Interact In Vivo With the BRCA1 Gene Product. Nature Genetics. 1996.
Additional Sources
- New Breast Screening Recommendations Related to the BARD1 Gene and Breast Cancer Risk. Mass General Cancer Center. May 28, 2021.
- Sniadecki M, Brzezinski M, Darecka K, et al. BARD1 and Breast Cancer: The Possibility of Creating Screening Tests and New Preventive and Therapeutic Pathways for Predisposed Women. Genes. November 2020.