The Role of HER2/Neu and BRCA1 Genes in the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer among Sudanese Women

Background: Knowledge of HER2/Neu and BRCA1 Genes might be helpful for development of strategies for decreasing the burden of risk of breast cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study to detect the role of HER2/Neu and BRCA1 Genes expression in diagnosis of breast cancer in Sudanese women. Methodology: A total of 100 tissue samples obtained from patients with breast cancer in addition to 50 tissue samples obtained from patients with benign breast lesions, were detected the expression of HER2/Neu and BRCA1 Genes by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Results: The prevalence of HER2/Neu and BRCA1 Genes, among cases was 6%, and 10% respectively. Conclusion: HER2/Neu and BRCA1 Genes have a considerable contribution to etiology of breast cancer in Sudan that requires further consideration.

Genetic instability of BRCA1 gene at locus D17S855 is related to clinicopathological behaviors of gastric cancer from Chinese population

AIM： To investigate genetic instability of gene BRCA1 at locus D17S855, and their relationship with clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer in Chinese population. METHODS： Microsatellite instability （MSI） and loss of heterozygosity （LOH） of gene BRCA1 at locus D17S855 were compared between 37 samples of gastric cancer and corresponding non-cancerous gastric tissue. RESULTS： MSI at locus D17S855 was positive in 7 of 37 samples of gastric cancer （18.95%）. MSI had a close relationship with TNM staging but no relation with lymph node metastasis, histological type or tumor differentiation. MSI positive frequency in TNM Ⅰ ＋ Ⅱ （31.58%, 6/19） was much higher than that in TNM Ⅲ＋ Ⅳ （5.56%, 1/18）, （P 〈 0.05）. LOH positive rate was 18.92% （7/37）. LOH had no relationship to histological type, tumor differentiation or lymph node metastasis, but LOH positive rate in TNM Ⅲ＋ Ⅳ was 33.33% （6/18）, much higher than that in TNM Ⅰ ＋ Ⅱ （ 5.26%, 1/19）, （P 〈 0.05）. BRCA1 protein was expressed in 14 of 37 samples of gastric cancer. The positive rates of BRCA1 protein in TNM Ⅰ ＋ Ⅱ and TNM Ⅲ＋ Ⅳ were 57.89% and 16.67%, respectively, （P 〈 0.05）. The positive rate of BRCA1 protein was 77.78% in high differentiation samples, 30.77% in middle differentiation and 12.50% in lower differentiation samples, （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： MSI of BRCA1 gene could be used as a molecular marker in early phases of sporadic gastric cancer in Chinese population. LOH occurs at later period of gastric cancer, therefore, it could be used as prognostic factor.

Research progress on the relationship between BRCA1 and hereditary breast cancer

Breast cancer gene 1(BRCA1) gene was the first breast cancel susceptibility gene discovered in familial breast cancer.It has been revealed that BRCA1 can be combined with an array of important protein involved in cell cycle regulation,DNA repair,gene transcription control and apoptosis regulation.It plays a down-regulation effect on tumor growth and an important role in maintaining genomic stability.New research suggests that it also associate with the breast cancer stem cells and microRNA.Its mutations,promoter methylation and ectopic expression may one of the main reasons for the generation and development of hereditary breast cancer.

Pancreatic mucinous cystadenocarcinoma in a patient harbouring BRCA1 germline mutation effectively treated with olaparib: A case report

BACKGROUND Pancreatic mucinous cystadenocarcinoma(MCAC)is a rare malignancy with a poor prognosis when it presents metastases at diagnosis.Due to its very low incidence,there are no clear recommendations for the treatment of advanced disease.Olaparib(an oral PARP inhibitor)has been approved for the maintenance treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma harbouring germline BRCA1/2 mutations.Herein,we report the first case of a germline BRCA1 mutated unresectable MCAC which was effectively treated with olaparib.CASE SUMMARY A 41-year-old woman,without personal or family history of cancer,was diagnosed with ovarian and peritoneal metastases of MCAC.She underwent 12 cycles of gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin(GEMOX)obtaining a partial response and allowing radical surgery.One year later,local recurrence was documented,and other 12 cycles of GEMOX were administered obtaining a complete response.Seven years later,another local recurrence,not amenable to surgical resection,was diagnosed.She started FOLFIRINOX(oxaliplatin,irinotecan,leucovorin and fluorouracil),obtaining a partial response after 8 cycles.Given the excellent response to platinum-based chemotherapy,BRCA testing was performed,and a BRCA1 germline mutation was detected.She was switched to maintenance olaparib due to chemotherapy-related toxicities and achieved an almost complete metabolic response,with a reduction in the diameter of the lesion,after three months of therapy.CONCLUSION The current case suggests the beneficial effect of olaparib in BRCA mutated MCAC.However,further studies are required.

STUDY OF BRCAIGENE IN HEREDITARY BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER

Objective To investigate the BRCA1 gene in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, early onset breast cancer and sporadic ovarian cancer Methods The exons of 2, 11 and 20 of BRCA1 gene were analyzed Polymerase chain reaction single strand conformation analysis(PCR SSCP) and PCR SSCP combined by restriction enzymes were used to screen for mutations Mutations were further indentifed by sequencing. The loss of heterozygosity (LOH)were also investigated at the BRCA1 genetic loci D17S855 in 10 hereditary ovarian cancer Results A insertion mutation was detected in H7.“C” was inserted at nucleotide 797. It would result in truncation of the BRCA1 protein at codon 277. A missen mutation was detected in an early onset breast cancer(diagnosed at age 24). At nucleotide position 3732, the substitution of a “G” to a “C” in codon 1205 changes a Gly to a Arg. A missen mutation were also detected in three sporadic ovarian cancers. At nucleotide position 2051, the substitution of a “T” to a “G” in codon 644 changes a Cys to a Trp. H3 and H7 patients show LOH. Conclusions. BRCA1 gene has an important effect in Chinese hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, its effect on early onset breast cancer and sporadic ovarian cancer are still to be studied. BRCA1 gene is a tumor suppressor gene.

高分辨熔解曲线技术检测血液 BRCA1／2基因突变在乳腺癌高危人群中的应用

目的：通过高分辨熔解曲线技术（ HRM）分析乳腺癌患者及高危人群BRCA1／2基因的突变特征，探讨HRM技术在乳腺癌高危人群中BRCA1／2基因突变检测的应用价值。方法采用临床对照研究方法，收集2015年3月至2016年6月间在安徽省肿瘤医院和亳州市人民医院就诊的乳腺癌患者及其一级亲属（高危人群）各52例，无乳腺癌家族史的健康人40名，年龄性别无统计学差异，通过外周静脉血提取基因组DNA，应用HRM法检测血液中乳腺癌易感基因BRCA1／2突变情况，并对突变阳性结果进行DNA测序验证；采用logistic回归方法分析BRCA1／2基因突变与易感因素之间的相关性。结果52例乳腺癌患者发现9例BRCA1／2基因突变，突变率为17．3％，52例乳腺癌高危人群中发现5例BRCA1／2基因突变，突变率为9．6％，在40名健康人群中发现1例BRCA1／2基因突变。采用HRM法检测的9例BRCA1／2基因突变阳性结果与基因测序结果全部相符。 BRCA1／2基因突变与初产年龄、慢性乳腺疾病的易感因素有一定的相关性。9例BRCA1／2基因突变阳性的乳腺癌患者一级亲属中发现有5例BRCA1／2基因突变，一致性达到44．4％（4／9）。结论 BRCA1／2基因突变阳性的乳腺癌患者一级直系亲属存在较高的BRCA1／2突变率，因此HRM技术可用于乳腺癌高危人群的健康筛查和风险评估。（中华检验医学杂志，2017，40：105－108）

RRM1 gene expression in peripheral blood is predictive of shorter survival in Chinese patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated by gemcitabine and platinum

Objective:To evaluate the predictive values of gene expressions of ribonucleotide reductase M1(RRM1) and breast cancer susceptibility gene 1(BRCA1) in peripheral blood from Chinese patients with non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC) treated with gemcitabine plus platinum.Methods:Forty Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC were recruited and received gemcitabine 1200 mg/m 2 on Days 1 and 8 plus carboplatin AUC 5 on Day 1.RRM1 and BRCA1 expression levels in peripheral blood were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) .Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were performed to evaluate the correlation between gene expression and overall survival for these subjects.Results:No correlation was observed between gene expression of RRM1 and that of BRCA1(P>0.05) ,but there was a strong correlation between the expression of RRM1 and the response to chemotherapy(P=0.003) .Subjects with low RRM1 expression levels in peripheral blood had longer sur-vival time than those with high RRM1 expression levels(16.95 vs.12.76 months,log-rank 3.989,P=0.046) .However,no significant association between BRCA1 expression levels and survival time was found(16.80 vs.13.77 months,log-rank 0.830,P=0.362) .Conclusions:Patients with low RRM1 expression levels in peripheral blood have a greater response to chemotherapy and longer survival time.Advanced NSCLC patients with low RRM1 expression levels may benefit from gemcitabine plus platinum therapy.RRM1 mRNA expression in peripheral blood could be used to predict the prognosis of NSCLC treated by gemcitabine and platinum.