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BRCA1/2 associated hereditary breast cancer

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Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women today. Some of the patients are hereditary, with a large proportion characterized by mutation in BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 genes. In this review, we provide an overview of these two genes, focusing on their relationship with hereditary breast cancers. BRCA1/2 associated hereditary breast cancers have unique features that differ from the general breast cancers, including alterations in cellular molecules, pathological bases, biological behavior, and a different prevention strategy. But the outcome of BRCA1/2 associated hereditary breast cancers still remains controversial; further studies are needed to elucidate the nature of BRCA1/2 associated hereditary breast cancers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China

    Li-song Teng, Yi Zheng & Hao-hao Wang

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  1. Li-song Teng
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  2. Yi Zheng
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  3. Hao-hao Wang
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Correspondence to Li-song Teng.

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Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30772510) and the Joint Program of Ministry of Health and Zhejiang Provincal Government of China (No. WKJ2006-2-008)

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Teng, Ls., Zheng, Y. & Wang, Hh. BRCA1/2 associated hereditary breast cancer. J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. B 9, 85–89 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B0710617

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B0710617

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