Program of diagnostics and prevention of breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is one of the most widespread oncological diseases. In developed countries breast cancer affects up to 10% of women. According to statistics breast cancer prevails among all forms of cancer.
There exist two main types of breast cancer: family and sporadic.
Family breast cancer
This form of disease has an inherited nature, thus, is characterized by increased possibility of disease among relatives, appearance at early age and high possibility of double localization of tumor. Ovarian carcinoma is often observed in such families, more seldom – other tumors. Besides, such form of disease is associated with male predisposition to breast and prostate cancer.
Classic family breast cancer makes about 5% of all cases.
Sporadic breast cancer
This form of disease is more widespread and makes up to 95% of all cases.
Ovarian carcinoma
Ovarian carcinoma is also a widespread oncological disease. As breast cancer it can have family nature. Besides, ovarian carcinoma and breast cancer are often diagnosed together as family syndrome of breast cancer.
Genetic basis of breast cancer
Family form of breast and ovaries cancer is defined by mutations carried by inherited genes. The majority of such mutations which cause predisposition to breast and ovaries cancer are localized in genes BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Sporadic forms of these tumors develop independently from mutations in genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 as well as due to the so called somatic mutations which take place in chromosomes of people suffering from these forms of disease. In the latter case the disease is not of a family nature since there were no mutations in previous generations but the development of oncological process is defined by the same composition of mutations in genes BRC1 and BRC2 as in family forms of cancer.
Today there exist diagnostic possibilities of determination genetic predisposition to ovarian and breast carcinoma.
Recommendations for genetic analysis of predisposition to ovarian and breast
carcinoma – identification of mutant forms of genes BRCA1 and BRCA2
Revelation of the most common mutations in genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 which define predisposition to breast and ovarian carcinoma.
This analysis is recommended for all women since if, on average, the possibility of breast cancer makes (within the lifetime) about 10%, for carriers of mutations in gene BRCA1 this possibility exceeds 70%.
If a woman is a carrier of mutation she gets into the group of risk. Then it is necessary to work out individual recommendations on effective prevention of disease, schedule of regular examinations by oncologist (mammologist) - with more often complex of examinations.
This examination will allow to reveal tumor on the earliest stage when surgical treatment is mostly successful.
Revelation of all mutations in genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 which define predisposition to breast and ovarian carcinoma by the method of determination complete nucleotic sequence.
If a woman is not carrier of mutations in genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 but her relatives in previous generations suffered from breast or ovarian carcinoma it is recommended to reveal all mutations in genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 which define predisposition to breast or ovarian carcinoma by the method of determination complete nucleotic sequence.
This analysis allows to answer the following questions:
has the woman received mutant form of genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 from parents?
if she is carrier of mutations in genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 – How great is the possibility of predisposition to breast cancer?
What is the genotype of woman and is it possible to provide, for example, using IVF, absence of mutant form of gene in children
The Institute of Biological Medicine is one of few institutions in Moscow which uses unique method of revelation of genetic predisposition to ovarian and breast carcinoma.
