title: Clinical and pathological features of BRCA1/2 tumors in a sample of high-risk Moroccan breast cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes explain a large part of hereditary breast cancer. Several studies have shown that BRCA1 and BRCA2 tumors exhibit some specific morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics. The aim of our study is to compare the clinicopathological characteristics between Moroccan breast cancers associated or not with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Previously, we had identified 11 BRCA carriers in a series of 40 selected breast cancer patients at increased risk for carrying a mutation in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The clinical and pathological features of patients carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation (n = 11) were evaluated and compared to those of non-mutated patients (n = 29).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with non carriers, women with BRCA1/2 mutation present younger mean age at diagnosis (37.90 vs. 44.48 years, p = 0.05), younger mean age of 1st menarche (13.08 vs. 14.24 years, p = 0.05) and shorter duration of breastfeeding (8.71 vs. 19.35 months, p = 0.05). Moreover, 63.6 and 62.5% of BRCA1/2 carriers present SBR grade III and triple negative tumors respectively (p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this first Moroccan study comparing clinical and pathological characteristics of women carrying or not BRCA1/2 mutation, patients with BRCA mutation tend to develop early breast cancer with high-grade and triple negative tumors. However, further large scale research including more data is needed to better characterize BRCA1/2 cases and to evaluate the survival rate associated with these mutations in our population tumors. Moreover, it would be more interesting to study women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations separately in order to determine if they exhibit distinct characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Mohammed VI Cancer Treatment Center, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jouhadi
authors.affiliation: Genetics and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Medical School of Casablanca, Hassan II University, 19 Rue Tarik Ibnou Ziad, B.P. 9154, Casablanca, Morocco. amal_tazzite@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tazzite
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Houssine
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Azeddoug
authors.affiliation: Mohammed VI Cancer Treatment Center, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Asmâa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naim
authors.affiliation: Genetics and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Medical School of Casablanca, Hassan II University, 19 Rue Tarik Ibnou Ziad, B.P. 9154, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Sellama
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nadifi
authors.affiliation: Mohammed VI Cancer Treatment Center, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Abdellatif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benider
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D024682:BRCA2 Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco; D009154:Mutation; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019313:BRCA1 Protein; C492913:BRCA1 protein, human; D024682:BRCA2 Protein; C551750:BRCA2 protein, human; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone
keywords: BRCA1; BRCA2; Breast cancer; Characteristics; Clinicopathological; Morocco