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. 2011 Apr 26;104(9):1384-92.
doi: 10.1038/bjc.2011.120. Epub 2011 Apr 12.

Predictors of contralateral breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers

K Metcalfe  1 , S Gershman, H T Lynch, P Ghadirian, N Tung, C Kim-Sing, O I Olopade, S Domchek, J McLennan, A Eisen, W D Foulkes, B Rosen, P Sun, S A Narod
Affiliations

Predictors of contralateral breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers

K Metcalfe et al. Br J Cancer. .

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of contralateral breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers; and measure the extent to which host, family history, and cancer treatment-related factors modify the risk.

Patients and methods: Patients were 810 women, with stage I or II breast cancer, for whom a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation had been identified in the family. Patients were followed from the initial diagnosis of cancer until contralateral mastectomy, contralateral breast cancer, death, or last follow-up.

Results: Overall, 149 subjects (18.4%) developed a contralateral breast cancer. The 15-year actuarial risk of contralateral breast cancer was 36.1% for women with a BRCA1 mutation and was 28.5% for women with a BRCA2 mutation. Women younger than 50 years of age at the time of breast cancer diagnosis were significantly more likely to develop a contralateral breast cancer at 15 years, compared with those older than 50 years (37.6 vs 16.8%; P=0.003). Women aged <50 years with two or more first-degree relatives with early-onset breast cancer were at high risk of contralateral breast cancer, compared with women with fewer, or no first-degree relatives with breast cancer (50 vs 36%; P=0.005). The risk of contralateral breast cancer was reduced with oophorectomy (RR 0.47; 95% CI 0.30-0.76; P=0.002).

Conclusion: The risk of contralateral breast cancer risk in BRCA mutation carriers declines with the age of diagnosis and increases with the number of first-degree relatives affected with breast cancer. Oophorectomy reduces the risk of contralateral breast cancer in young women with a BRCA mutation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Risk of contralateral breast cancer among subjects by age at first breast cancer diagnosis. The end points for the three survival curves are 0.416, 0.330, and 0.168, respectively.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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