Alix Earle and her sister, Ashtin, are urging women to take proactive control of their health after learning they both carry a BRCA gene mutation.
The news arrived shortly after their mom, Alisa, was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2025 and subsequently tested positive for the BRCA2 mutation.
The family documented the emotional moment the sisters received their test results during their Netflix docuseries, Earle Meets World.
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What Is the BRCA2 gene?
The BRCA2 (BReast CAncer gene 2) gene helps repair damaged DNA and stops abnormal cells from forming tumors.
When this gene is mutated, or doesn’t work as it should, it increases the carrier’s lifetime risk of breast cancer and other cancers, including ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The National Cancer Institute estimates that over 60% of women who inherit the BRCA mutation will develop breast cancer compared to about 13% of women in the general population.
It’s also hereditary — if a parent has the mutation, a child has a 50% chance of inheriting it.
“That moment in our life was really difficult and something I think we tried to brush off,” Alix told People. “And I think when we both got the results, my body just took over and broke down, and even seeing my mom get emotional was super hard for us. And that was a very unexpected twist that also happened during these crazy few months.”
Taking Proactive Steps for Future Health
Medical guidelines for individuals with a BRCA mutation generally include clinical breast exams every six to 12 months, annual breast MRIs starting at a younger age, and annual mammograms beginning at age 30.
For many young women, a BRCA diagnosis also shapes how they approach family planning. Preventive options, like embryo genetic screening and egg freezing, give carriers choices and control when considering having children.
“Going forward when it comes years down the line and getting pregnant, having kids, I think it just made us a lot more aware of our options and the possibilities of things,” Alix continued. “And it’s something that we are taking into account and working on making the right choices going forward.”
Ashtin added, “Even just eating healthier and working out and living a healthy lifestyle does really contribute to whether you get cancer or not… just working on being healthier and being more conscious of what we do and what we put in our bodies has been really heavy on my mind since.”
