title: ABO and Rh blood groups frequency in women with HER2 positive breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of genetic factors in the development of cancer is widely accepted. Data on the role of ABO blood group and Rh factor in breast cancer is inconclusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of a possible association between HER2 (+) breast cancer in Turkish women and ABO blood groups and Rh factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 294 female patients with HER2 (+) breast cancer, ABO blood groups and Rh factor were examined. The relationship of blood groups with age, menopausal status, and family history of cancer, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 status of these patients was evaluated. Blood groups distribution of 22,821 healthy blood donors was also assessed and compared with the patients' blood groups distribution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median patient age was 47 years (range 20-80) and 56% of the patients were premenopausal. ER and PR were positive in 50 and 60% of the patients, respectively. Overall, the ABO blood group distribution of the 294 HER2 (+) breast cancer patients was similar to that of the healthy blood donors (p=0.36). Likewise there was no correlation between blood type and ER, PR and menopausal status. Rh (-) patients had more frequent family cancer history and this difference was significant for patients with blood group B Rh (-) and O Rh (-) (p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study we didn't find any relationship between HER2 status and ABO blood group and Rh factor. However, further studies with larger number of patients are needed to establish the role (if any) of blood groups in patients with breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Urun
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Utkan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Altundag
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Onur
authors.forename: U Y
authors.initials: UY
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kocer
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Senler
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yalcin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demirkazik
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akbulut
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Icli
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000032:analysis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human