title: Clinical and pathologic differences between BRCA1-, BRCA2-, and non-BRCA-associated breast cancers in a multiracial developing country.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 confer an increased risk to breast and other cancers, but to date there have only been limited numbers of studies of BRCA1- and BRCA2-associated cancers among Asians. Malaysia is a multiracial country with three main races: Malays, Chinese, Indians. We determined whether tumor pathologic features and clinical features differ in patients with and without BRCA mutations in this Asian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 152 women with breast cancer who underwent genetic testing for BRCA mutations. The patients self-reported ethnicity, age at onset, and clinical stage at diagnosis and tumor pathology were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 31 patients carried germline deleterious mutations (16 BRCA1, 15 BRCA2). We found that tumors in BRCA1 carriers were more likely to be estrogen receptor (ER)-negative and progesterone receptor (PR)-negative. HER2 was more likely to be negative in both BRCA1 and BRCA2 subjects compared with non-BRCA subjects. We found a strong association between triple-negative status and BRCA1 carriers. In addition, tumors in BRCA1 carriers were more likely to be higher grade than those in BRCA2 and non-BRCA carriers; but the difference was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that tumors associated with BRCA1 mutations are distinct from those of BRCA2-associated and non-BRCA-associated breast cancers, and that the tumors associated with BRCA2 mutations are similar to the non-BRCA-associated breast cancers. Further studies are required to determine if the prognosis is different in each of these groups and the best management strategy for each group.
authors: Department of Surgery, University Malaya Medical Centre, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. yipch@um.edu.my
authors: Cheng-Har
authors: CH
authors: Yip
authors: N A
authors: NA
authors: Taib
authors: W Y
authors: WY
authors: Choo
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Rampal
authors: M K
authors: MK
authors: Thong
authors: S H
authors: SH
authors: Teo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008875:Middle Aged; D044469:Racial Groups; D012189:Retrospective Studies