Gordon Moffat
SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine, USA
Title: Burden of BRCA1, BRCA 2 and PABL2 gene mutations in Caribbean women with breast cancer
Biography
Biography: Gordon Moffat
Abstract
Purpose:
Identifying mutations in breast cancer genes (BRCA1, BRCA2, PABL2) has important clinical implications on a woman's lifetime susceptibility to breast cancer development. Nearly 10% of immigrants to the United States come from the Caribbean and few studies exist that examine breast cancer gene mutations in African-Caribbean women with existing breast cancer. The purpose is to specifically describe breast cancer epidemiology statistics and review prevalence of BRCA mutations in this cohort.
Methods:
Epidemiologic data on select Caribbean countries and USA was abstracted from GLOBOCAN 2012, a database of estimated global cancer statistics produced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and World Health Organization. Sex-specific age standardized incidence and mortality rates for breast cancer in specific countries are presented in Table 1. A Literature Search was also conducted through PubMed database using following terms: Caribbean , (familial breast cancer), (hereditary breast cancer), and (BRCA breast cancer) that was subsequently narrowed to epidemiologic relevance resulting in five citations and presented in Table 2.
Conclusions:
The GLOBOCAN 2012 data provides an estimate of breast cancer incidence and mortality in Caribbean women. This study summarizes the known prevalence of BRCA1/2 and PALB2 breast cancer gene mutations in select Caribbean cohorts. This is critical as part of a formal genetic risk assessment and counseling of patients with breast cancer, particularly in areas that serve a Caribbean population. Further research and understanding the contributions of inherited gene mutations will guide the optimal health policy in breast cancer screening and risk management.