This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Save to my personal folders Download to citation manager Rights & Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Eeles, R. A. Articles by Powles, T. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Eeles, R. A. Articles by Powles, T. J. Social Bookmarking                            What's this?

Chemoprevention Options for BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers

From the Institute of Cancer Research, The Royal Marsden National Health Service (NHS) Trust, Sutton, Surrey, United Kingdom.

Address reprint requests to Rosalind A. Eeles, MA, FRCP, FRCR, PhD, Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Downs Rd, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, United Kingdom; email ros{at}icr.ac.uk

ABSTRACT

BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast cancer predisposition gene mutation carriers are at markedly increased risk of breast and other cancers. The consideration of chemopreventative options will depend on the cancer site and age-specific penetrance curve. Most chemoprevention studies to date have investigated the role of endocrine intervention in women at increased risk of breast cancer, and study results are conflicting. At the present time, there is uncertainty regarding whether endocrine intervention, particularly with tamoxifen, is as effective in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers as in other women who are at increased risk of breast cancer because of hormonal factors or genes with moderately conferred cancer risks. Furthermore, if chemoprevention were needed for at least 10 years to produce an effect, new chemoprevention agents will need to be developed for women in their 30s, as the breast cancer risk curves are steepest between 40 and 50 years of age. Consideration is now being given to types of chemoprevention in this younger age group. There is also an increased risk of other cancers (in particular ovarian cancer and, in men, prostate cancer), and considerations regarding chemoprevention will have to encompass cancer at these sites.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Goldhirsch, J. H. Glick, R. D. Gelber, A. S. Coates, and H.-J. Senn Meeting Highlights: International Consensus Panel on the Treatment of Primary Breast Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., September 15, 2001; 19(18): 3817 - 3827. [Full Text] [PDF]