BRCA1 and BRCA2 are far and away the most commonly inherited mutations that predispose women to breast and ovarian cancer. However, since the relatively recent use of panel testing, multiple genes have been discovered that can also predispose women to breast, ovarian, and other cancers….
Disparities Exist Between Black and White Women The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) initiated 2 randomized trials in 1993. The trials included conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) in postmenopausal women with a prior hysterectomy and CEE plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in those with intact uterus. The CEE + MPA trial closed after 5.6 years when it was…
Risk of a Second Breast Cancer Following Bilateral Mastectomy There is little doubt that bilateral mastectomy (BM) for unilateral cancer has risen sharply in the US, even in patients not carrying a deleterious mutation. This occurred despite data suggesting no difference in survival between BM, unilateral mastectomy (UM) and breast-conserving therapy (BCT). It appears therefore…
The Plot Thickens Ashkenazi Brca Gene Mutation Found In Sephardic (Iberian) Jews Suggests That All Jews May Share Some Genes Jewish ethnic divisions refer to separate and distinct Jewish communities. Most if not all of these resulted from the original Israeli diaspora. From there, Jewish people settled and mixed with local populations. Though Jewish people…
Gazing Over The Horizon at Cancer Treatment “The greatest curse is to be stuck in one’s own time; the greatest power is to see beyond its horizon.” – Rachel Kadish, The Weight of Ink. Is it true that all cancers are in some way genetic whether by germline or sporadic mutation or by some epigenetic…
The Genetics Of Breast Cancers Following Pregnancy The effects that parity (the number of children born) and age at first pregnancy have on the risk of breast cancer have been known for decades. In general, parity causes an increased risk in the first decade after pregnancy and then a marked reduction in risk thereafter. It…
A Brief History Of Herceptin® and the Her2 Cancer Gene Was Herceptin® the first targeted therapy for breast cancer? Chemotherapy is not considered targeted therapy. Chemotherapy attacks all rapidly dividing cells, which can lead to a number of side effects. Because chemotherapy does not distinguish between dividing cells, it’s not considered targeted therapy. The first…
Revisiting The Evidence For Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Following Removal Of Tubes And Ovaries In Patients With BRCA1 And BRCA2 Mutations Within a short time after the discovery of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast/ovarian cancer genes in the mid-1990s two important facts came to light. First, was that removal of the ovaries impacted the risk…
