Breast Cancer in Ashkenazi Women

摘要

For more than a century, researchers have been intrigued by the origins of Ashkenazi Jewish people. Ancestors of the Ashkenazim emerged in the 10th century, primarily from European and Middle Eastern areas. Researchers believe that two-fifths of the Ashkenazim descend from 4 women who might have originated from Europe approximately 1000 years ago.2 Another theory is that a group of men traveled from the Middle Eastern region to Europe, married native women, and later changed their religion to Judaism. Research regarding DNA markers provides evidence that most Ashkenazi men are descended from a single man.