Every cell in your body has genes. Genes are the blueprints, or genetic code called DNA, for your body’s unique traits. These are some of the things that make you who you are, like the color of your eyes and your height. You receive your genes from your mom and your dad. You don’t get all their traits, but you do get some of them. And just like your parents passed their genes down to you, you’ll share your genes with your children. Even slight changes in your genetic code or DNA can affect how your body works. These are called mutations. Mutations aren’t common, but they do happen. They all don’t mean something bad or will take place. In fact, many inherited gene mutations have little or no effect on your health. Others can increase the risk of certain diseases, including breast cancer. Mutations can be inherited from your parents, just like other information found in your genes. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are two important genes in breast cancer. Everyone has BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, but some people have an inherited mutation in one or both of these genes that increases their risk of breast cancer. Again remember, half of your genes come from your mother and half from your father. So, for example, if your mother has a BRCA1 gene mutation, there’s a 50% chance you will also have a BRCA1 mutation and a 50% chance you won’t. Researchers are learning more about how genes and genetic mutations influence breast cancer to help reduce the risk of breast cancer. To learn more, you can visit the Risk Factors section on komen.org.