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Cancer Causes & Control
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control 3/2013

01-03-2013 | Original Paper

Baseline E2 levels are higher in BRCA2 mutation carriers: a potential target for prevention?

Authors: Jayeon Kim, Kutluk Oktay

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 3/2013

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Abstract

Purpose

BRCA gene mutations and elevated serum estradiol (E2) are well-known risk factors for breast cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between BRCA gene mutations and serum E2 level.

Methods

We measured baseline (menstrual cycle day 2–3) E2 levels of 96 women with breast cancer who underwent BRCA testing.

Results

The mean age, parity, and age at menarche did not differ between women with and without BRCA1/2 mutations. Basal serum E2 level was significantly higher in women with BRCA2 mutations compared to women with BRCA1 mutations or without BRCA mutations (71.7 ± 41.6 vs. 45.5 ± 20.7 vs. 38.5 ± 12.6 pg/ml in BRCA2 mutation carriers, BRCA1 mutation carriers, and non-carriers, respectively, p value = 0.03). Women with BRCA2 mutations had 3.1 times as great risk for high basal E2 level (>48 pg/ml) as women without BRCA mutations after adjusting for age and BMI (95 % confidence interval: 1.3, 7.6). BRCA mutation carriers with high serum E2 level were significantly younger than the carriers with low serum E2 level (31.4 ± 3.1 vs. 34.7 ± 4.9 years, p = 0.04).

Conclusions

In this pilot study, we found an association between high basal serum E2 levels and BRCA2 mutations. Our results suggest that increased production of E2 may have a role in the pathogenesis of BRCA2-mutation-related breast cancer.
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Metadata
Title
Baseline E2 levels are higher in BRCA2 mutation carriers: a potential target for prevention?
Authors
Jayeon Kim
Kutluk Oktay
Publication date
01-03-2013
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 3/2013
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-012-0127-3

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