title: Characteristics of BRCA1/2 Mutation-Positive Breast Cancers in Korea: A Comparison Study Based on Multicenter Data and the Korean Breast Cancer Registry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mutations in BRCA genes are the main cause of hereditary breast cancer in Korea. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of breast cancers involving BRCA1 (BRCA1 group) and BRCA2 (BRCA2 group) mutations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with BRCA1 (BRCA1 group) or BRCA2 (BRCA2 group) mutation positive breast cancer from multiple centers and compared the data to that of the Korean Breast Cancer Society registry (registry group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients of the BRCA1 group were diagnosed at a younger age (median age, 37 years) and had tumors of higher histological (61.3% with histological grade 3) and nuclear (37.5% with nuclear grade 3) grade than those of the registry group. In addition, the frequency of ductal carcinoma in situ in the BRCA1 group was lower (3.7%) than in the registry group, and the BRCA1 group were more likely to be triple-negative breast cancer (61.3%). Patients in the BRCA2 group were also younger at diagnosis (mean age, 41 years) and were more likely to have involvement of the axillary node than the registry group (45.5% vs. 33.5%, p=0.002). The BRCA1 and BRCA2 groups did not show a correlation between tumor size and axillary node involvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report the characteristics of BRCA mutation positive breast cancer patients in the Korean population through multicenter data and nation-wide breast cancer registry study. However, BRCA-mutated breast cancers appear highly complex, and further research on their molecular basis is needed in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Ho
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sue K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Hyuk
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Lee Su
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Science, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo-Chul
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Science, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Kyu
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Konyang University Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Sung
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeeyeon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Kyungpook National University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hyang
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Seol
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Gyungyup
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sei-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahn
keywords: BRCA1 genes; BRCA2 genes; Breast neoplasms; Korea