Breast cancer-associated gene 1 (BRCA1) is a critical tumor suppressor in breast cancer, and BRCA1 deficiency impairs DNA damage repair, leading to DNA damage accumulation and subsequent genetic alterations that result in the onset of breast cancer. In the current study, researchers from the University of Macau aimed to identify the potential factors that may participate in BRCA1-associated tumorigenesis.

No matter how they come about, functional impairments in the DNA repair protein BRCA1 will hamper cells' ability to repair their genome, and increase the chances that a cell will become cancerous. However, researchers from the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine reported in the July 6, 2022, issue of Science Translational Medicine that reduced BRCA1 activity that was due to methylation of its promoter differed from BRCA1 mutation in terms of its response to platinum chemotherapy.

Myriad Genetics Inc. is launching a new suite of genetic tests designed for personalizing chemotherapy treatment. The Precise oncology offering includes Myriad’s precise tumor molecular profile test and two companion diagnostic tests, Mychoice CDx and Bracanalysis CDx. The company said the combination of germline, somatic and companion testing aims to maximize information for oncologists as they assign individual treatment plans. Results from each test are gathered as a single report accessed on an online portal.

The French Cosegregation Variant study, a collaboration by cancer genetics clinics and laboratories led by geneticists at the Curie Institute in Paris, has demonstrated that cosegregation analysis represents a powerful tool for classifying variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast-ovarian cancer predisposition genes.