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Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1/BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases

Year 2025, Volume: 12 Issue: 2, 120 - 126, 28.08.2025
https://doi.org/10.47572/muskutd.1623615

Abstract

In Western populations, 5–10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary, primarily due to pathogenic germline variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Women carrying these variants have a lifetime risk of 40–57% for BC and 18–40% for ovarian cancer. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and distribution of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants among hereditary breast and ovarian cancer cases in the Aegean region of Turkey. In this retrospective study, the medical records of 157 hereditary breast and ovarian cancer cases who presented to the Medical Genetics Clinic at Aydın Adnan Menderes University between 2013 and 2019 were reviewed. BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene analyses for these cases were performed using Sanger sequencing. The results were analyzed by collecting demographic and clinical data, including tumor characteristics and family history. Pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were identified in 17 cases (11%) for BRCA1 and 6 cases (4%) for BRCA2. The most common BRCA1 variants were c.66dupA and c.5266dupC, while BRCA2 variants exhibited greater heterogeneity, with no recurrent variants. Breast cancer (72.6%) was the most frequent diagnoses, with invasive ductal carcinoma as the predominant histological subtype. The study underscores the importance of population-specific genetic testing strategies to identify BRCA1/2 variants. The findings reveal a unique variant spectrum in the Aegean Region population, highlighting the absence of globally common variants and the need for comprehensive genetic counseling to improve risk assessment and management for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer patients.

References

  • Bray F, Laversanne M, Sung H, et al. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2024;74(3):229–63.
  • Barili V, Ambrosini E, Bortesi B, et al. Genetic Basis of Breast and Ovarian Cancer: Approaches and Lessons Learnt from Three Decades of Inherited Predisposition Testing. Genes. 2024;15(2):219.
  • Chen S, Parmigiani G. Meta-Analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Penetrance. J clin oncol. 2007;25(11):1329-33.
  • Rhiem K, Engel C, Graeser M et al. The risk of contralateral breast cancer in patients from BRCA1/2 negative high risk families as compared to patients from BRCA1 or BRCA2 positive families: A retrospective cohort study. Breast Cancer Res. 2012;14(6).
  • Hamdi Y, Boujemaa M, Mighri N, et al. Identification of BRCA2 Cis Double Heterozygous Breast Cancer Cases Using Whole Exome Sequencing: Phenotypic Expression and Impact on Personalized Oncology. Front Genet. 2021;12.
  • Bujassoum SM, Bugrein HA, Sulaiman R Al. Genotype and Phenotype Correlation of Breast Cancer in BRCA Mutation Carriers and Non-Carriers. J Cancer Sci Ther. 2017;09(03):358–62.
  • Tonin PN, Futreal PA, Morgan K, et al. Founder BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations in French Canadian Breast and Ovarian Cancer Families. Am J Hum Genet. 1998;1341–51.
  • Claes K, Machackova E, De Vos X, et al. Mutation analysis of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in the Belgian patient population and identification of a Belgian founder mutation BRCA1 IVS5 + 3 A > G. Dis Markers. 1999;15(1-3):69-73.
  • Abeliovich D, Kaduri L, Lerer I, et al. The Founder Mutations 185delAG and 5382insC in BRCA1 and 61 74delT in BRCA2 Appear in 60 % of Ovarian Cancer and 30 % of Early-Onset Breast Cancer Patients among Ashkenazi Women. Am J Hum Genet. 1997;60(3):505–14.
  • Levy-lahad E, Catane R, Eisenberg S, et al. Founder BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations in Ashkenazi Jews in Israel : Frequency and Differential Penetrance in Ovarian Cancer and in Breast-Ovarian Cancer Families. Am J Hum Genet. 1997;60(5):1059–67.
  • Richards S, Aziz N, Bale S, et al. Standards and guidelines for the interpretation of sequence variants: A joint consensus recommendation of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Genet Med. 2015;17(5):405–24.
  • Zang F, Ding X, Chen J, et al. Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic variants in 8627 unselected patients with breast cancer: stratification of age at diagnosis, family history and molecular subtype. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2022;195(3):431–9.
  • Daly MB, Rosenthal E, Cummings S, et al. The association between age at breast cancer diagnosis and prevalence of pathogenic variants. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023;199(3):617–26.
  • Demir S, Tozkir H, Gurkan H, et al. Genetic screening results of individuals with high risk BRCA-related breast/ovarian cancer in Trakya region of Turkey. JBUON. 2020;25(3):1337–47.
  • Tuncer SB, Celik B, Erciyas SK, et al. Germline mutational variants of Turkish ovarian cancer patients suspected of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) by next-generation sequencing. Pathol Res Pract. 2024;254:155075.
  • Yildiz Tacar S, Bozgeyik E, Seber ES, et al. Next generation sequencing analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 identifies novel variations in breast cancer. Life Sci. 2020;261:118334.
  • Isiklar AD, Aliyeva L, Yesilyurt A, et al. Frequency of germline pathogenic variants in breast cancer predisposition genes among young Turkish breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023;202(2):297–304.
  • Pääkkönen K, Sauramo S, Sarantaus L, et al. Involvement of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in Breast Cancer in a Western Finnish. Genet Epidemiol. 2001;246:239–46.
  • Byrski T, Huzarski T, Jakubowska A, et al. Founder Mutations in the BRCA1 Gene in Polish Families with Breast-Ovarian Cancer. Am J Hum Genet. 2000;1963–8.
  • Manguoglu AE, Lüleci G, Özçelik T, et al. Germline Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 Genes in Turkish Breast / Ovarian Cancer Patients. Hum Mutat. 2003;590:1–7.
  • Yazici H, Bitisik O, Akisik E, Cabioglu N, et al. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in Turkish breast / ovarian families and young breast cancer patients. Br J Cancer. 2000;83:737–42.
  • Fountzilas E, Konstantopoulou I, Vagena A, et al. Pathology of BRCA1- and BRCA2-associated Breast Cancers: Known and Less Known Connections. Clin Breast Cancer. 2020;20(2):152–9.
  • Dubsky P, Jackisch C, Im SA, et al. BRCA genetic testing and counseling in breast cancer: how do we meet our patients’ needs? NPJ Breast Cancer; 2024;10(1):77.
  • Cicin I, Karadurmus N, Bilici A, Bahsi T, Sendur MA, Demirci U, et al. Genetic testing and counseling challenges in personalized breast cancer care: review article with insights from Türkiye. Future Oncol. 2024;20(15):1031-45.
  • Alemar B, Gregório C, Herzog J, Bittar CM, Brinckmann Oliveira Netto C, Artigalas O, et al. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutational profile and prevalence in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) probands from Southern Brazil: Are international testing criteria appropriate for this specific population? PLoS One. 2017;12(11):1–18.
  • Apessos A, Agiannitopoulos K, Pepe G, Tsaousis GN, Papadopoulou E, Metaxa-Mariatou V, et al. Comprehensive BRCA mutation analysis in the Greek population. Experience from a single clinical diagnostic center. Cancer Genet. 2018;220:1–12.
  • Shao D, Cheng S, Guo F, Zhu C, Yuan Y, Hu K, et al. Prevalence of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) predisposition gene mutations among 882 HBOC high-risk Chinese individuals. Cancer Sci. 2020;111(2):647–57.

Ege Bölgesi’nde Kalıtsal Meme ve Yumurtalık Kanseri Olgularında BRCA1/BRCA2 Varyantlarının Spektrumu ve Yaygınlığı

Year 2025, Volume: 12 Issue: 2, 120 - 126, 28.08.2025
https://doi.org/10.47572/muskutd.1623615

Abstract

Batı toplumlarında meme kanseri vakalarının %5-10'u kalıtsaldır ve başlıca BRCA1 ve BRCA2 genlerindeki patojenik germ hattı varyantlarından kaynaklanır. Bu varyantları taşıyan kadınların meme kanseri için yaşam boyu riski %40-57 ve over kanseri için %18-40'tır. Bu çalışma, Türkiye'nin Ege Bölgesi'ndeki kalıtsal meme ve over kanseri vakaları arasında BRCA1 ve BRCA2 varyantlarının sıklığını ve dağılımını araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu retrospektif çalışmada, Aydın Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi'nde 2013-2019 yılları arasında Tıbbi Genetik Polikliniği’ne başvuran ve Sanger dizilemesi ile BRCA1/2 genleri analiz edilen 157 kalıtsal meme ve over kanseri olgusunun dosyaları taranmıştır. Sonuçlar tümör özellikleri ve aile öyküsü de dahil olmak üzere demografik ve klinik veriler toplanarak analiz edilmiştir. BRCA1 için 17 vakada (%11) ve BRCA2 için 6 vakada (%4) patojenik veya muhtemel patojenik varyant saptanmıştır. En yaygın BRCA1 varyantları c.66dupA ve c.5266dupC iken, BRCA2 varyantları kümeleşme yapmadan daha fazla heterojenlik göstermiştir. Meme kanseri (%72,6) en sık tanı olarak belirlenmiş ve baskın histolojik alt tip olarak invaziv duktal karsinom görülmüştür. Çalışma, BRCA1/2 varyantlarını belirlemek için popülasyona özgü genetik test stratejilerinin önemini vurgulamaktadır. Bulgular, Ege Bölgesi popülasyonunda benzersiz bir varyant spektrumunu ortaya koyarak, küresel olarak yaygın varyantların çalışma ile uyumlu olmadığını göstermektedir. Ayrıca kalıtsal meme ve yumurtalık kanseri hastalarında risk değerlendirmesini ve hasta yönetimini iyileştirmek için kapsamlı genetik danışmanlığa olan ihtiyacı vurgulamaktadır.

References

  • Bray F, Laversanne M, Sung H, et al. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2024;74(3):229–63.
  • Barili V, Ambrosini E, Bortesi B, et al. Genetic Basis of Breast and Ovarian Cancer: Approaches and Lessons Learnt from Three Decades of Inherited Predisposition Testing. Genes. 2024;15(2):219.
  • Chen S, Parmigiani G. Meta-Analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Penetrance. J clin oncol. 2007;25(11):1329-33.
  • Rhiem K, Engel C, Graeser M et al. The risk of contralateral breast cancer in patients from BRCA1/2 negative high risk families as compared to patients from BRCA1 or BRCA2 positive families: A retrospective cohort study. Breast Cancer Res. 2012;14(6).
  • Hamdi Y, Boujemaa M, Mighri N, et al. Identification of BRCA2 Cis Double Heterozygous Breast Cancer Cases Using Whole Exome Sequencing: Phenotypic Expression and Impact on Personalized Oncology. Front Genet. 2021;12.
  • Bujassoum SM, Bugrein HA, Sulaiman R Al. Genotype and Phenotype Correlation of Breast Cancer in BRCA Mutation Carriers and Non-Carriers. J Cancer Sci Ther. 2017;09(03):358–62.
  • Tonin PN, Futreal PA, Morgan K, et al. Founder BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations in French Canadian Breast and Ovarian Cancer Families. Am J Hum Genet. 1998;1341–51.
  • Claes K, Machackova E, De Vos X, et al. Mutation analysis of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in the Belgian patient population and identification of a Belgian founder mutation BRCA1 IVS5 + 3 A > G. Dis Markers. 1999;15(1-3):69-73.
  • Abeliovich D, Kaduri L, Lerer I, et al. The Founder Mutations 185delAG and 5382insC in BRCA1 and 61 74delT in BRCA2 Appear in 60 % of Ovarian Cancer and 30 % of Early-Onset Breast Cancer Patients among Ashkenazi Women. Am J Hum Genet. 1997;60(3):505–14.
  • Levy-lahad E, Catane R, Eisenberg S, et al. Founder BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations in Ashkenazi Jews in Israel : Frequency and Differential Penetrance in Ovarian Cancer and in Breast-Ovarian Cancer Families. Am J Hum Genet. 1997;60(5):1059–67.
  • Richards S, Aziz N, Bale S, et al. Standards and guidelines for the interpretation of sequence variants: A joint consensus recommendation of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Genet Med. 2015;17(5):405–24.
  • Zang F, Ding X, Chen J, et al. Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic variants in 8627 unselected patients with breast cancer: stratification of age at diagnosis, family history and molecular subtype. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2022;195(3):431–9.
  • Daly MB, Rosenthal E, Cummings S, et al. The association between age at breast cancer diagnosis and prevalence of pathogenic variants. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023;199(3):617–26.
  • Demir S, Tozkir H, Gurkan H, et al. Genetic screening results of individuals with high risk BRCA-related breast/ovarian cancer in Trakya region of Turkey. JBUON. 2020;25(3):1337–47.
  • Tuncer SB, Celik B, Erciyas SK, et al. Germline mutational variants of Turkish ovarian cancer patients suspected of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) by next-generation sequencing. Pathol Res Pract. 2024;254:155075.
  • Yildiz Tacar S, Bozgeyik E, Seber ES, et al. Next generation sequencing analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 identifies novel variations in breast cancer. Life Sci. 2020;261:118334.
  • Isiklar AD, Aliyeva L, Yesilyurt A, et al. Frequency of germline pathogenic variants in breast cancer predisposition genes among young Turkish breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023;202(2):297–304.
  • Pääkkönen K, Sauramo S, Sarantaus L, et al. Involvement of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in Breast Cancer in a Western Finnish. Genet Epidemiol. 2001;246:239–46.
  • Byrski T, Huzarski T, Jakubowska A, et al. Founder Mutations in the BRCA1 Gene in Polish Families with Breast-Ovarian Cancer. Am J Hum Genet. 2000;1963–8.
  • Manguoglu AE, Lüleci G, Özçelik T, et al. Germline Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 Genes in Turkish Breast / Ovarian Cancer Patients. Hum Mutat. 2003;590:1–7.
  • Yazici H, Bitisik O, Akisik E, Cabioglu N, et al. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in Turkish breast / ovarian families and young breast cancer patients. Br J Cancer. 2000;83:737–42.
  • Fountzilas E, Konstantopoulou I, Vagena A, et al. Pathology of BRCA1- and BRCA2-associated Breast Cancers: Known and Less Known Connections. Clin Breast Cancer. 2020;20(2):152–9.
  • Dubsky P, Jackisch C, Im SA, et al. BRCA genetic testing and counseling in breast cancer: how do we meet our patients’ needs? NPJ Breast Cancer; 2024;10(1):77.
  • Cicin I, Karadurmus N, Bilici A, Bahsi T, Sendur MA, Demirci U, et al. Genetic testing and counseling challenges in personalized breast cancer care: review article with insights from Türkiye. Future Oncol. 2024;20(15):1031-45.
  • Alemar B, Gregório C, Herzog J, Bittar CM, Brinckmann Oliveira Netto C, Artigalas O, et al. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutational profile and prevalence in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) probands from Southern Brazil: Are international testing criteria appropriate for this specific population? PLoS One. 2017;12(11):1–18.
  • Apessos A, Agiannitopoulos K, Pepe G, Tsaousis GN, Papadopoulou E, Metaxa-Mariatou V, et al. Comprehensive BRCA mutation analysis in the Greek population. Experience from a single clinical diagnostic center. Cancer Genet. 2018;220:1–12.
  • Shao D, Cheng S, Guo F, Zhu C, Yuan Y, Hu K, et al. Prevalence of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) predisposition gene mutations among 882 HBOC high-risk Chinese individuals. Cancer Sci. 2020;111(2):647–57.
There are 27 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Clinical Sciences (Other)
Journal Section Original Article
Authors

Zehra Manav Yiğit 0000-0002-9505-0371

Gökay Bozkurt 0000-0002-6963-3186

Publication Date August 28, 2025
Submission Date January 20, 2025
Acceptance Date August 18, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 12 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Manav Yiğit, Z., & Bozkurt, G. (2025). Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1/BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi, 12(2), 120-126. https://doi.org/10.47572/muskutd.1623615
AMA Manav Yiğit Z, Bozkurt G. Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1/BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases. MMJ. August 2025;12(2):120-126. doi:10.47572/muskutd.1623615
Chicago Manav Yiğit, Zehra, and Gökay Bozkurt. “Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1 BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases”. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi 12, no. 2 (August 2025): 120-26. https://doi.org/10.47572/muskutd.1623615.
EndNote Manav Yiğit Z, Bozkurt G (August 1, 2025) Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1/BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi 12 2 120–126.
IEEE Z. Manav Yiğit and G. Bozkurt, “Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1/BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases”, MMJ, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 120–126, 2025, doi: 10.47572/muskutd.1623615.
ISNAD Manav Yiğit, Zehra - Bozkurt, Gökay. “Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1 BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases”. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi 12/2 (August2025), 120-126. https://doi.org/10.47572/muskutd.1623615.
JAMA Manav Yiğit Z, Bozkurt G. Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1/BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases. MMJ. 2025;12:120–126.
MLA Manav Yiğit, Zehra and Gökay Bozkurt. “Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1 BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases”. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi, vol. 12, no. 2, 2025, pp. 120-6, doi:10.47572/muskutd.1623615.
Vancouver Manav Yiğit Z, Bozkurt G. Spectrum and Prevalence of BRCA1/BRCA2 Variants in Aegean Region Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Cases. MMJ. 2025;12(2):120-6.