The pathology of familial breast cancer: The pre-BRCA1/BRCA2 era: historical perspectives.
A proportion of breast carcinomas develop as a result of a genetic predispostion to the disease. Prior to cloning of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes a limited number of studies were carried out to identify specific histopathological characteristics of hereditary breast cancer. These studies are the subject of this review. The main finding was the association of the (atypical) medullary type of breast cancer with a family history; the most important caveat being that medullary breast cancer is found more frequently in young patients. In view of the frequent bilateral occurrence of lobular cancer, this histologic type is also likely to be associated with a predisposing genetic defect. Future investigations will have to test this hypothesis. In addition to mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, there are as yet unidentified genetic defects predisposing to breast cancer development, and histopathology may well help in identifying these genes in the future.
Department of Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands. mvijver@nki.nl
M J
MJ
van de Vijver
D024682:BRCA2 Protein; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D024682:BRCA2 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors