Author: Abikenova Ayazhan
Translator: Orazayeva Nargiz
Copy editors: Kigbayeva Kamila, Issabayeva Madina
Genes that increase the risk of developing breast cancer (BC) are found in women of the white race of the United States, including women of Jewish origin Ashkenazi, as well as in African American women. These genes include BRCA1,BRCA2, and PALB2, each of them increases the risk of breast cancer by seven times, as well as 4 other genes associated with a moderate increase in risk.
‘The multigene panels that are currently available for testing women with breast cancer or women at high risk due to their family history will also be useful for African-American women,’ explained study authors Julie Palmer, MD, director of Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, and Karin Grunebaum, a professor of cancer research at Boston University School of Medicine.
Researchers from Boston University and the Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with members of the CARRIERS consortium, conducted DNA sequencing (sequencing of molecular structures) of the germ line from 5054 African American women with breast cancer and 4993 African American women of the corresponding age without cancer, for mutations in 23 genes predisposing for cancer. Then they assessed the risk of developing breast cancer, which is associated with a mutation in any of the genes.
The results showed that more than7% of women with breast cancer had a mutation in one of the genes, compared with 2% of the control group. Fergus Couch, Ph.D., co-author of the study, Anna M. Scheller, professor of medical research at the Mayo Clinic, said: ‘Mutations in PALB2, RAD51C and RAD51D increase the risk of developing estrogen-negative breast cancer that lacked estrogen receptors (female sex hormone ) in the African American population ”.
According to researchers, testing genes for hereditary breast cancer can prevent death from this illness and in women, who have never had breast cancer and in women with breast cancer either. According to Julie Palmer, based on the test results, a woman with a mutation in any of these genes may choose a more aggressive screening for cancer, and women with mutations in the high-risk BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes may choose to remove the breast and/ or ovaries as a way to prevent developing breast cancer or relapse.
Currently, genetic testing indicators of African American women with breast cancer are lower than white patients of the same age. Differences in recommendations given to African American women were identified as one of the drivers of this inequality. ‘The differences in recommendations are the result of misconceptions among doctors about the prevalence of genetic mutations and the associated risks among African American women, awareness of our findings could increase the proportion African American women who are offered to test,’- added Palmer.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/
