In a study, researchers looked to estimate the cumulative risks of cancer in women aged 50 to 75 years who have a pathogenic variant of BRCA1 or BRCA2. Eligible patients were included in the study if they did not have cancer before age 50. Women from 85 centers in 16 countries were included in the study and had filled out questionnaires at baseline and at follow-up every 2 years. Of the 2,211 women in the study (1,470 BRCA1; 742 BRCA2), 379 cancers had been diagnosed from age 50 to 75. The most commonly observed cancers in the study were breast and ovarian cancers. Overall, the researchers found that those with BRCA1 or BRCA2 pathogenic variants have a heightened risk of cancer in this age group.
Reference: Metcalfe KA, Gronwald J, Tung NM, et al. The risks of cancer in older women with BRCA pathogenic variants: How far have we come?. Cancer. 2023;129(6):901-907. doi:10.1002/cncr.34615
Link: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.34615
