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. 2025 Oct;111(5):390-399.
doi: 10.1177/03008916251353420. Epub 2025 Aug 9.

The e-BRAVE study: A prospective web-based cohort and biobank of women carriers of BRCA mutations

Andreina Oliverio  1 , Carlotta Meli  1 , Eleonora Bruno  1 , Michela Bianchi  1 , Giada Sassi  1   2 , Elisabetta Venturelli  1 , Ambra Cesareo  3 , Claudio Pighini  3   4 , Margherita Patruno  5 , Maria Di Gennaro  5 , Stefania Tommasi  6 , Antonella Daniele  7 , Silvia Schiavone  7 , Letizia Galasso  8 , Stefano Magno  9 , Gianluca Franceschini  9 , Alberta Ferrari  10 , Robert Fruscio  11   12 , Daniele Morelli  13 , Claudia Chiodoni  14 , Siranoush Manoukian  15 , Patrizia Pasanisi  1
Affiliations

The e-BRAVE study: A prospective web-based cohort and biobank of women carriers of BRCA mutations

Andreina Oliverio et al. Tumori. 2025 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Women carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations face a very high lifetime risk (penetrance) of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer. A sizeable proportion of carriers, however, does not develop cancer at all or develop it only late in life, thus suggesting a potential modulation of this risk. Epidemiological studies have suggested that other genetic (polymorphisms) and environmental factors (lifestyle) affect penetrance. However, data regarding these associations mainly come from retrospective case-control analyses and the results are likely to be distorted by bias.

Aims: The e-BRAVE (Brca, ReseArch, Virtual, Education) study aims to create a web-based prospective cohort and biological bank of unaffected women carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations to investigate the role of polymorphisms and environmental factors, and their interaction, in the occurrence of primary BRCA-related cancers.

Methods: An innovative digital platform (including a mobile App) will be used to empower the synergy between participants and researchers, supporting engagement with women, adherence to intervention plan, self-empowerment, flanked by activities tracking and monitoring.

Results: Based on the incidence data in previous studies, we estimate to observe an overall incidence of ~3.7% year.

Conclusion: The success of this study will ensure the definition of further predictive risk models and comprehensive recommendations aimed at improving management and health of BRCA women.

Keywords: BRCA; gene- environment interaction; lifestyle; prevention; web-based cohort.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Platform dataflow.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
User registration and consent process in BRCApp.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
"Your Day" section: Daily activities and content overview.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Lifestyle contents (recommendations, web kitchen/exercise courses, and recipes).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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