FREQUENCY OF GERMLINE BRCA1/BRCA2 PATHOGENIC VARIANTS IN EARLY-ONSET TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER: A SINGLE-CENTER OBSERVATIONAL ANALYSIS
- Authors
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Abdul Sami Shaikh
Author
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Shabahat Arain
Author
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- Keywords:
- BRCA1, BRCA2, Breast Neoplasms, Genetic Testing, Germ-Line Mutation, Triple-Negative Breast Neoplasms, Young Adult
- Abstract
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Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an destructive sub-type, commonly changing younger women and often linked with BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutations. Timely identification of these mutations offers critical opportunities for personalized treatment and preventive strategies.
Objective: To determine the occurrence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 changes in younger women diagnosed with TNBC.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was managed over six months at single hospital in Lahore. A total of 300 women aged 18–40 years with confirmed TNBC were enrolled. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were assessed using next-generation sequencing. Demographic, clinical, and pathological data were collected. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS v25 with appropriate parametric tests.
Results: Of the 300 participants, 78 (26.0%) had pathogenic BRCA mutations—61 (20.3%) in BRCA1 and 17 (5.7%) in BRCA2. Higher mutation prevalence was observed in younger age groups, high-grade tumors, and those with a family description of cancer. BRCA1 mutations were most frequent among patients aged 18–30 years (28.0%). Mutation rates were also higher in stage III (32.4%) and grade III (30.2%) tumors.
Conclusion: The extreme occurrence of BRCA mutations in this cohort reinforces the prominence of universal BRCA testing in young TNBC patients, irrespective of family history. These findings advocate for the integration of genetic testing into standard cancer care pathways to guide therapy and prevention.
- Author Biographies
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- 2025-11-30
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Copyright (c) 2025 Abdul Sami Shaikh, Shabahat Arain (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

