26 May Family History Alone Does Not Affect Breast Cancer Recurrence

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Professor Ramsey Cutress
Associate Professor in Breast Surgery
University of Southampton

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

Response: The main finding is that in young women with breast cancer, a breast cancer family history of breast cancer did not affect recurrence rates.

This work forms part of the Prospective Outcomes in Sporadic versus Hereditary breast cancer (POSH) study, which included 2850 women under age 41 years who were diagnosed with breast cancer and treated in the UK. The study, led by principal investigator Professor Diana Eccles, recorded patients’ personal characteristics, tumour characteristics, treatment, and family history of breast/ovarian cancer over a 15-year period.

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

Response: Reassurance that in young women a family history alone will not impact on the outcome from breast cancer.

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

Response: Further research within the POSH study will take place to investigate whether certain breast cancer gene variants such as BRCA1 changes, have any impact on the effectiveness of different anticancer treatments. This will be funded by Cancer Research UK.

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Citation:

K. Eccles, E. R. Copson, R. I. Cutress, T. Maishman, D. G. Altman, P. Simmonds, S. M. Gerty, L. Durcan, L. Stanton, D. M. Eccles. Family history and outcome of young patients with breast cancer in the UK (POSH study). British Journal of Surgery, 2015; DOI: 10.1002/bjs.9816

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:, & Professor Ramsey Cutress (2015). Family History Alone Does Not Affect Breast Cancer Recurrence 

Last Updated on May 26, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD