This document discusses germline mutations, which can be passed down from parents to offspring. It analyzes data from a study on BRCA mutations in women diagnosed with breast cancer. The data shows more cases of BRCA1 mutations than BRCA2, and more deaths caused by BRCA1. This suggests BRCA1 is a more common and dangerous mutation. A woman with a mutated BRCA1 gene has an 18% risk of dying from cancer. Germline mutations can be inherited due to genes developing over generations within families with breast cancer history.