Reduce ovarian cancer risk for BRCA1/2 women
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Last week a new study came out concerning women with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and breast cancer. Women with these mutations have a much greater chance of developing breast, ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal cancer.
A large group of women – 1,828 to be exact – with these mutations were followed for 3 and a half years. It was found that the women who had their ovaries removed (known as an oophorectomy) lowered their chances of getting ovarian cancer by 80%!
It should be noted that these were women who had their ovaries removed before they had any known cancer, as a preventative measure.
On the other hand, about 4% of them still got cancer anyway.
You may ask – how could someone get ovarian cancer if they have no ovaries? Well, this is because they got the cancer in the lining of their abdomen (called the peritoneum), which is similiar tissue to that of the ovaries.
Many doctors recommend that women with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations have their ovaries removed once they are done having kids or by age 35 – 40.
Results of this study were published in the July 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
(Technorati Tags: ovarian cancer, BRCA1, BRCA2, mutations, women)
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- Breast cancer: BRCA2 and DNA repair
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July 10, 2006
Breast cancer: BRCA2 and DNA repair
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One of the genes associated with breast cancer and ovarian cancer is BRCA2. Mutations in BRCA2 can result in early onset breast and ovarian cancer. It was the second breast cancer susceptibility gene discovered – after BRCA1. It was found from positional cloning through women with inherited breast cancer.
Cell lines with mutations in BRCA2 are genetically unstable and can accumulate large chromosomal rearrangements. Double-stranded breaks (DSB) in DNA can occur due to exposure to DNA damaging substances such as UV light or as a consequence of regular metabolic activity.
BRCA2 is known to be involved in DNA repair through a process called ‘homology-directed repair’ – sometimes called ‘homologous recombination’. In homology-directed repair, the repair involves the use of DNA that is similiar in sequence to the DNA that needs to be repaired.
The Rad51 protein is also involved in homology-directed repair. It binds to damaged DNA to begin the repair process. Some mutations in Rad51 have also been associated with breast cancer.
The BRCA2 protein is 3418 amino acids in length. Its central region of around 1000 amino acids contains a series of 8 repeated motifs called BRC repeats. This region binds to Rad51. The C-terminal end binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and has some similarity to a protein called RPA (replication protein A) which also binds to single stranded DNA.
In a paper published in June in PNAS Maria Jasin‘s group constructed fusion proteins composed of one or more of the BRC repeats and the large subunit of the RPA protein. What they found was that in cell lines containing a mutant form of BRCA2 they were able to restore homology-directed repair when both transiently and stably expressing these fusion proteins in the cells.
Cells with a mutant form of BRCA2 are especially sensitive to DNA damage. Cells transfected with the fusion proteins were resistant to this damage presumably because they were able to restore the DNA repair activity of the cell.
The authors concluded that the primary role of BRCA2 is to bring Rad51 to ssDNA to maintain the genetic integrity of cells.
BRCA1 is also known to interact with RAD51 and be involved with homology-directed repair of DNA.
Further research into the roles of BRCA2, BRCA1 and Rad51 in DNA repair is critical to the understanding and development of future prevention and/or treatment of breast and other cancers.
(Technorati Tags: BRCA1, BRCA2, breast cancer, Rad51, DNA, DNA repair)
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Related Posts:
- Breast cancer gene product has role in translation
- The paradox of BRCA1 in breast cancer
- Reduce ovarian cancer risk for BRCA1/2 women
July 6, 2006
News shorts: Ovarian cancer; breast feeding
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Breast feeding and bed wetting
A study just published in the journal Pediatrics presents evidence that kids who were breast fed are less likely to have bed wetting problems later. It is believed that some bed wetting problems are due to delayed neurodevelopment and that breast fed babies may have a developmental advantage. Of course none of this implies that not breast feeding will cause a child to be a bed wetter – and I won’t even get into the whole Department of Health and Human Services campaign that is resulting in more women being made to feel guilty for not breast feeding. Breast feed if you can – it may give your child some number of benefits, but don’t feel bad if you can’t. Many of us weren’t and are doing just fine!
Ovarian cancer and acetaminophen
The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and BBC report that regular use of acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) may reduce the chance of developing ovarian cancer later in life. The study looked at 746,000 women over 6 years and found a reduction in ovarian cancer of around 30% in those that took the OTC pain killer regularly. Long term use of acetaminophen could result in liver and kidney failure however, so it is not recommended that women try taking it just to reduce their chances of getting ovarian cancer. Future research may determine what the connection between the two are and whether or not it is worth the health risk for women with a high risk of developing ovarian cancer.
(Technorati Tags: breast feeding, acetaminophen, paracetamol, ovarian cancer, health)
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Related Posts:
- Reduce ovarian cancer risk for BRCA1/2 women
- Women’s Health Weekly Review: July 6 – July 12
- More ovarian cancer news
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