With breast cancer awareness month right around the corner, you have probably been hearing a lot about what’s known collectively as the “breast cancer gene,” also known as BRCA1 and BRCA2. Here are some of the key things you need to know:

1. All men and women are born with two genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2. We receive two copies of each—one from our mothers and one from our fathers.

2. BRCA genes are tumor suppressor genes—their role is control the growth of cells in the breasts and ovaries. If either copy of either gene isn’t working properly—which is the case in about 1/500 people—that person has an increased risk of certain cancers.

3. Certain populations have a higher risk of having a BRCA mutation. For instance, the rate among Jewish people of Ashkenazi (Eastern European) descent is 1-in-40.

4. Women with BRCA mutations have up to an 87 percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer and up to a 44 percent lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer. It’s key to note that these statistics indicate the upper range of risk; however, experts can’t yet tell a women with a BRCA mutation whether her risk is actually 30% or 50% or 80%, so they offer the vague “up to” statistic. Also, testing positive does not mean you will develop breast cancer, just as testing negative, doesn’t mean that a person won’t.

5. Men with BRCA mutations have an increased risk of breast cancer (yes, men get this disease, too), prostate cancer, and melanoma.

6. BRCA mutations are genetic. A person with a BRCA mutation inherited that mutation from either her mother or her father. Also, when a person tests positive for a BRCA mutation, that means his or her siblings and children have a 50/50 chance of having the mutation, too. For that reason, it’s crucial to look at family history on your mother’s and your father’s side of the family when determining your breast cancer risk.

7. Genetic mutations cannot skip a generation. For instance, if your paternal grandfather has a BRCA mutation, but your father does not, that means you cannot inherit it from that side of the family.

8. There are plenty of high-risk women who test negative for BRCA mutations. For instance, two women featured in my book, Previvors—Lisa and Mayde—both tested negative. However, they still had a higher than average risk for breast cancer based on other risk factors so they took steps to beat their odds.

9. Right now, experts say that about 5-10% of all breast cancer cases are hereditary. However, they predict that within the next five years, they’ll find other genetic mutations or alterations linked to breast cancer, and that up to 50% of all breast cancer cases will prove to be hereditary.

10. When a person tests positive for a BRCA mutation, he or she often has to deal with the emotional, psychological, and physical ramifications. However, the good news is that there’s plenty of help out there. See the Links section above to find resources that can guide you through what can be a confusing and overwhelming time. And remember, while learning you have a BRCA mutation can be devastating, you can turn your fear into empowerment by learning about the many options you have to protect yourself. Excuse the cliché, but knowledge is power.