23 Dec Age at Primary Breast Cancer Affects Risk of Age at Primary Breast Cancer on Contralateral Breast Cancer Risk in BRCA1/2 Carriers

Dr. Schmidt

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Marjanka Schmidt PhD
Group Leader, Molecular Pathology
Netherlands Cancer Institute

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Dr. Schmidt: BRCA1/2 mutation carriers who developed a primary breast cancer are thought to be at high risk to develop a contralateral breast cancer (breast cancer in the opposite breast). Our study is one of the first to provide unbiased risk estimates for young breast cancer patients with a pathogenic BRCA1/2 mutation. We also showed that age of onset of the first breast cancer is a predictor for the development of contralateral breast cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, but not in non-carriers.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Schmidt: That for risk prediction in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers they should consider age at onset, and that though some breast cancer patients carrying a BRCA1/2 mutation are at relatively high risk of breast cancer, for certain subgroups this risk may not be as high as previously thought.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Schmidt: It will be important to develop absolute risk curves using prospective data from more recently diagnosed patients for patient counseling, including information about family history of breast cancer.

Citation:

Impact of Age at Primary Breast Cancer on Contralateral Breast Cancer Risk in BRCA1/2 Mutation Carriers

Alexandra J. van den Broek, Laura J. van ’t Veer, Maartje J. Hooning, Sten Cornelissen,Annegien Broeks, Emiel J. Rutgers, Vincent T.H.B.M. Smit, Cees J. Cornelisse,Mike van Beek, Maryska L. Janssen-Heijnen, Caroline Seynaeve, Pieter J. Westenend,Jan J. Jobsen, Sabine Siesling, Rob A.E.M. Tollenaar, Flora E. van Leeuwen and Marjanka K. Schmidt

JCO JCO623942; published online on December 23, 2015;

Dr. Marjanka Schmidt PhD (2015). Age at Primary Breast Cancer Affects Risk of Age at Primary Breast Cancer on Contralateral Breast Cancer Risk in BRCA1/2 Carriers 

Last Updated on December 23, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD