Identifying Women at Risk for Radiation-Induced Breast Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Annegien Broeks, Linde M Braaf, Angelina Huseinovic, Anke Nooijen, Jos Urbanus, Frans BL Hogervorst, Marjanka K Schmidt, Jan GM Klijn, Nicola S Russell, Flora E van Leeuwen, Laura J van 't Veer
Primary Institution: The Netherlands Cancer Institute
Hypothesis
Do germline mutations in DNA-damage repair pathway genes increase the risk of radiation-induced contralateral breast cancer?
Conclusion
Carriers of germline mutations in DNA-damage repair pathway genes have an increased risk of developing contralateral breast cancer after radiotherapy.
Supporting Evidence
- 27 BRCA1, 5 BRCA2, 15 CHEK2, and 4 ATM mutation carriers were identified among CBC patients.
- Mutation frequency was 24.3% among CBC patients with radiotherapy and 12.8% among those without.
- An odds ratio of 2.18 indicates a significantly increased risk of CBC after radiotherapy for mutation carriers.
Takeaway
Some women have genes that make them more likely to get breast cancer after radiation treatment. Knowing this can help doctors choose better treatments.
Methodology
A case-only study evaluated germline mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, and ATM in women with contralateral breast cancer, comparing those treated with and without radiotherapy.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias if mutation carriers were more likely to receive radiotherapy.
Limitations
The study design does not allow for determining the independent effects of genes and radiation exposure.
Participant Demographics
Women diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50, with a second primary breast cancer.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.043
Confidence Interval
1.03 to 4.62
Statistical Significance
p = 0.043
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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