A new research suggests that hereditary breast and prostate cancer may be two sides of the same coin. It has been found out that both diseases build up the same way in men and women with a faulty BRCA2 gene.

A key role is played by the gene involved in DNA repair in breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. Researchers funded by the Cancer Research UK charity, identified that cancer-causing DNA fault in male mice genetically engineered to lack of BRCA2 in their prostate glands.

Prostate cells from the ‘knockout’ mice accrued DNA damage quicker than it could be repaired. Over time, the dislocated DNA was estimated to lead to potent anti-tumor genes being smashed, triggering cancer.

The same process involving BRCA2 could direct to hereditary breast cancer in women.

"The discovery that BRCA2 alterations play the same role in the development of hereditary prostate cancer as they do in breast cancer is an important step. This sheds light on the relationship between the two conditions and could help highlight overlapping areas where similar treatments could be used to treat both”, Dr. Amanda Swain, Study Leader from the Institute of Cancer Research in London and Sutton, Surrey stated.

The research fabricates on studies of a hopeful new class of drugs for BRCA2-linked breast cancers known as PARP inhibitors. The scientists now deem that the drugs may verify efficient treatments for both breast and prostate cancer.