Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in Ashkenazi Jewish families with breast and pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND:

Germline mutations in the BRCA2 cancer susceptibility gene are associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer (PC). Breast‐pancreas cancer families with BRCA1 mutations have also been observed. The influence of a family history (FH) of PC on BRCA mutation prevalence in patients with breast cancer (BC) is unknown.

METHODS:

A clinical database review (2000‐2009) identified 211 Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) BC probands who 1) underwent BRCA1/2 mutation analysis by full gene sequencing or directed testing for Ashkenazi founder mutations (BRCA1: 185delAG and 5382insC; BRCA2: 6174delT) and 2) had a FH of PC in a first‐, second‐, or third‐degree relative. For each proband, the pretest probability of identifying a BRCA1/2 mutation was estimated using the Myriad II model. The observed‐to‐expected (O:E) mutation prevalence was calculated for the entire group.

RESULTS:

Of the 211 AJ BC probands with a FH of PC, 30 (14.2%) harbored a BRCA mutation. Fourteen (47%) of the mutations were in BRCA1 and 16 (53%) were in BRCA2. Patients diagnosed with BC at age ≤ 50 years were found to have a higher BRCA1/2 mutation prevalence than probands with BC who were diagnosed at age > 50 years (21.1% vs 6.9%; P = .003). In patients with a first‐, second‐, or third‐degree relative with PC, mutation prevalences were 15.4%, 15.3%, and 8.6%, respectively (P = .58). In the overall group, the observed BRCA1/2 mutation prevalence was 14.2% versus an expected prevalence of 11.8% (O:E ratio, 1.21; P = .15).

CONCLUSIONS:

BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are observed with nearly equal distribution in AJ breast‐pancreas cancer families, suggesting that both genes are associated with PC risk. In this population, a FH of PC was found to have a limited effect on mutation prevalence. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.