Researchers identify genes associated with an increased risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer
A team of researchers has identified genes associated with being at a greater risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer, according to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Could this discovery lead to improved patient care?
“Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive type of cancer that cannot be treated using targeted therapies,” co-author Fergus Couch, PhD, a geneticist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said in a news release. “It accounts for 15 percent of breast cancer in the Caucasian population and 35 percent in the African-American population. It is also associated with a high risk of recurrence and a poor five-year survival rate. Our findings provide the basis for better risk management.”
The authors performed genetic testing on more than 10,000 patients with triple-negative breast cancer, locating specific variants in the BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 and RAD51D genes that were associated with a high risk of triple-negative breast cancer and a lifetime risk of developing overall breast cancer of more than 20 percent.
“This study is the first to establish which genes are associated with high lifetime risks of triple-negative breast cancer,” said Couch. “While previous studies have found genetic variants in BARD1, BRIP1, PALB2 and RAD51C triple-negative breast cancer patients, the current study shows this in more detail, and identifies new specific and strong associations between the susceptibility genes RAD51D and BARD1, and triple-negative breast cancer risk.”
The study’s authors concluded that all patients with triple-negative breast cancer could benefit from undergoing genetic testing, “regardless of age at diagnosis or family history of cancer, for improved cancer risk assessment.”
“Patients with mutations may also benefit from specific targeted therapeutic strategies,” the authors wrote.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.