Germline mutations in breast cancer predispose women to develop this malignancy, but in woman over age 65 years, the risk is not well-defined. Accordingly, in a 2021 study by Boddicker et al., they studied the risk of breast cancer with respect to specific genes in women over age 65 years. In the study, 26,707 women over age 65 years with breast cancer (n=13,754) and without (n=12,953) were tested for select germline mutations and the incidence of breast cancer.
In woman over age 65 years, the risk is not well-defined.
The frequency of these mutations(BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2, CHEK2) was 3.18% for women with breast cancer (particularly estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer) and 1.48% for unaffected women over the age of 65 years. This study suggests that all women diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer or estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer should undergo genetic testing and that women over age 65 years with BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 and CHEK2 germline mutations should be considered for increased screening with magnetic resonance imaging.
About Women’s Cancer Research Foundation The Women’s Cancer Research Foundation (WCRF) is one of Southern California’s and the nation’s most active research organizations for female cancers. We are dedicated to serving the interests of patients, families, and friends affected by women’s cancers. WCRF partners with physician-scientists nationally to make differences in women’s lives by offering hope, strength, and progress.
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