Baseline E(2) levels are higher in BRCA2 mutation carriers: a potential target for prevention?

Chemoprevention strategies in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes

Hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer syndromes are inherited disorders in which there is an increased risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer in the lifetime, usually at a younger age compared to the general population. Cancer prevention in these syndromes includes prophylactic surgeries, personalized surveillance programs and chemopreventive strategies. Chemoprevention exploits the use of certain drugs or other substances to help lower the risk of developing cancer. In this context, tamoxifen was the first agent considered for breast cancer prevention, followed by raloxifene and the third-generation aromatase inhibitors. On the other hand, the first and most widespread type of chemoprevention for ovarian cancer was combined hormonal contraceptive use. Although several strategies have been studied and showed promising results, only a few of these are currently applied in daily clinical practice. Side effects along with several psychological variables such as cancer perceived risk, worries and related distress, strongly influence women's decision on chemoprevention. The present review explores and summarizes the available evidence on breast and ovarian cancer chemoprevention approaches.

HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer arising in patients with or without BRCA2 mutation: different biological phenotype and similar prognosis

Background

BRCA2 plays a key role in homologous recombination. However, information regarding its mutations in Chinese patients with breast cancer remains limited.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the clinicopathological characteristics of BRCA2 mutation breast cancer and explore the mutation's effect on hormone receptor (HR)-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer survival in China.

Design

This hospital-based cohort study prospectively included 629 women with breast cancer diagnosed from 2008 to 2023 at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital in China.

Methods

We compared the clinicopathological characteristics and metastatic patterns and analysed the invasive disease-free survival (iDFS), distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) and first-line progression-free survival (PFS1) of patients with HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer according to BRCA2 mutations.

Results

Among the 629 patients, 78 had BRCA2 mutations (12.4%) and 551 did not (87.6%). The mean age at diagnosis was lower in the BRCA2 mutation breast cancer group than in the non-mutation breast cancer group (38.91 versus 41.94 years, p = 0.016). BRCA2 mutation breast cancers were more likely to be lymph node-positive than non-mutation breast cancers (73.0% versus 56.6%, p = 0.037). The pathological grade was higher in 47.1% of BRCA2 mutation breast cancers than in 29.6% of non-mutation breast cancers (p = 0.014). The proportions of patients with BRCA2 mutations who developed contralateral breast cancer (19.2% versus 8.8%, p = 0.004), breast cancer in the family (53.8% versus 38.3%, p = 0.009) and ovarian cancer in the family (7.6% versus 2.4%, p = 0.022) were higher than those of patients without the mutation. The median follow-up time was 92.78 months. Multivariate analysis showed that BRCA2 mutation was not associated with poorer iDFS [hazard ratio = 0.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.64-1.27, p = 0.56] and poorer distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) (hazard ratio = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.61-1.93, p = 0.76). There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to metastatic patterns in the advanced disease setting. In the first-line metastatic breast cancer setting, PFS1 expression was broadly similar between the two groups irrespective of chemotherapy or endocrine therapy.

Conclusion

HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer with BRCA2 mutations differs from those without mutations in clinical behaviour and reflects more aggressive tumour behaviour. Our results indicate that BRCA2 mutations have no significant effect on the survival of Chinese women with HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer.

ER-positive and BRCA2-mutated breast cancer: a literature review

BRCA2-mutated carriers have a high lifetime risk of breast cancer (BC), an early age of onset, and an increased risk of other cancers (including ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancer). Almost 70-80% of BRCA2-mutated BC are estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, which is a particular type of ER-positive BC that differs from sporadic ER-positive BC. This article reviews the clinicopathological features, treatment, and prognosis of ER-positive and BRCA2-mutated BC to provide a reference for clinical decision-making.

Reevaluating the Role of Progesterone in Ovarian Cancer: Is Progesterone Always Protective?

Ovarian cancer (OC) represents a collection of rare but lethal gynecologic cancers where the difficulty of early detection due to an often-subtle range of abdominal symptoms contributes to high fatality rates. With the exception of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, OC most often manifests as a post-menopausal disease, a time in which the ovaries regress and circulating reproductive hormones diminish. Progesterone is thought to be a "protective" hormone that counters the proliferative actions of estrogen, as can be observed in the uterus or breast. Like other steroid hormone receptor family members, the transcriptional activity of the nuclear progesterone receptor (nPR) may be ligand dependent or independent and is fully integrated with other ubiquitous cell signaling pathways often altered in cancers. Emerging evidence in OC models challenges the singular protective role of progesterone/nPR. Herein, we integrate the historical perspective of progesterone on OC development and progression with exciting new research findings and critical interpretations to help paint a broader picture of the role of progesterone and nPR signaling in OC. We hope to alleviate some of the controversy around the role of progesterone and give insight into the importance of nPR actions in disease progression. A new perspective on the role of progesterone and nPR signaling integration will raise awareness to the complexity of nPRs and nPR-driven gene regulation in OC, help to reveal novel biomarkers, and lend critical knowledge for the development of better therapeutic strategies.

Breast cancers arising in subjects with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations: Different biological and clinical entities with potentially diverse therapeutic opportunities

Breast cancers (BCs) arising in carriers of germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic variants (PVs) have long been considered as indistinguishable biological and clinical entities. However, the loss of function of BRCA1 or BRCA2 proteins has different consequences in terms of tumor cell reliance on estrogen receptor signaling and tumor microenvironment composition. Here, we review accumulating preclinical and clinical data indicating that BRCA1 or BRCA2 inactivation may differentially affect BC sensitivity to standard systemic therapies. Based on a different crosstalk between BRCA1 or BRCA2 and the ER pathway, BRCA2-mutated Hormone Receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced BC may be less sensitive to endocrine therapy (ET) plus CDK 4/6 inhibitors (CDK 4/6i), whereas BRCA2-mutated triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) may be especially sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. If validated in future prospective studies, these data may have relevant clinical implications, thus establishing different treatment paths in patients with BRCA1 or BRCA2 PVs.

Clinical Characteristics and Exploratory Genomic Analyses of Germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 Mutations in Breast Cancer

gBRCA1/2 mutations increase the incidence of breast cancer by interrupting the homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway. Although gBRCA1 and gBRCA2 breast cancer have similar clinical profiles, different molecular characteristics have been observed. In this study, we conducted comprehensive genomic analyses and compared gBRCA1/2 breast cancer. Sanger sequencing to identify gBRCA1/2 mutations was conducted in 2,720 patients, and gBRCA1 (n = 128) and gBRCA2 (n = 126) mutations were analyzed. Within this population, deep target sequencing and matched whole-transcriptome sequencing (WTS) results were available for 46 and 34 patients, respectively. An internal database of patients with breast cancer with wild-type gBRCA was used to compile a target sequencing (n = 195) and WTS (n = 137) reference dataset. Three specific mutation sites, p.Y130X (n = 14) and p.1210Afs (n = 13) in gBRCA1 and p.R294X (n = 22) in gBRCA2, were comparably frequent. IHC subtyping determined that the incidence of triple-negative breast cancer was higher among those with a gBRCA1 mutation (71.9%), and estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer was dominant in those with a gBRCA2 mutation (76.2%). gBRCA1/2 mutations were mutually exclusive with PIK3CA somatic mutations (P < 0.05), and gBRCA1 frequently cooccurred with TP53 somatic mutations (P < 0.05). The median tumor mutation burden was 6.53 per megabase (MB) in gBRCA1 and 6.44 per MB in gBRCA2. The expression of AR, ESR1, and PGR was significantly upregulated with gBRCA2 mutation compared with gBRCA1 mutation. gBRCA1 and gBRCA2 breast cancer have similar clinical characteristics, but they have different molecular subtypes, coaltered somatic mutations, and gene expression patterns. IMPLICATIONS: Even though gBRCA1 and gBRCA2 mutations both alter HRR pathways, our results suggest that they generate different molecular characteristics and different mechanisms of carcinogenesis.

Nonsurgical Prevention Strategies in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers

Background

Female carriers of a BRCA1 or 2 germline mutation face a high lifetime risk to develop breast and ovarian cancer. Risk-reducing surgery, such as prophylactic bilateral mastectomy and prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, are proven strategies to prevent breast and ovarian cancer. These procedures are, however, associated with considerable side effects, and the uptake of these highly effective interventions is therefore low in many countries. This highlights the need for alternative and noninvasive strategies for risk reduction in mutation carriers.

Summary

While endocrine treatments with tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors (AI) have been shown to be effective in secondary prevention, their benefit in primary prevention has never been prospectively evaluated. Moreover, their side effect profile makes them inappropriate candidates for chemoprevention in healthy premenopausal women. Recently, denosumab, a well-tolerated osteoprotective drug, has been shown to have an antitumoral effect on RANK+, BRCA1-deficient luminal progenitor cells in vitro, and has been demonstrated to abrogate tumors in BRCA1-deficient mouse models.

Key Message

The prospectively randomized, double-blind BRCA-P trial is currently investigating the preventative effect of denosumab in healthy BRCA1 germline mutation carriers.

Non-surgical prevention strategies in women with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes

Objectives To review non-surgical prevention strategies in women with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes. Content Women with a gBRCA1 or 2 mutations face a high cumulative breast and ovarian cancer risk. While bilateral mastectomy (PBM) and bilateral salpingo-oophrectomy (PBSO) profoundly reduce the respective cancer risks, they are also associated with considerable side effects. There is therefore an urgent need for alternative and non-surgical risk reduction options. Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors have both been evaluated in secondary prevention, but their benefit in primary prevention is currently unknown in BRCA mutation carriers. In addition, their use is compromised by their side effect profile which makes them less appealing for a use in chemoprevention. Summary and outlook Denosumab is a well-tolerated osteoprotective drug, which has been demonstrated to have a potential preventive effect particularly in BRCA1-deficient models in vitro. The prospectively randomized double-blind BRCA-P trial is currently investigating the preventative effect of denosumab in healthy BRCA1 germ line mutation carriers.

BRCA Genes: The Role in Genome Stability, Cancer Stemness and Therapy Resistance

Carcinogenesis is a multistep process, and tumors frequently harbor multiple mutations regulating genome integrity, cell division and death. The integrity of cellular genome is closely controlled by the mechanisms of DNA damage signaling and DNA repair. The association of breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 with breast and ovarian cancer development was first demonstrated over 20 years ago. Since then the germline mutations within these genes were linked to genomic instability and increased risk of many other cancer types. Genomic instability is an engine of the oncogenic transformation of non-tumorigenic cells into tumor-initiating cells and further tumor evolution. In this review we discuss the biological functions of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and the role of BRCA mutations in tumor initiation, regulation of cancer stemness, therapy resistance and tumor progression.

Oral Contraceptive Use and Breast Cancer Risk: Retrospective and Prospective Analyses From a BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carrier Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

For BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers, the association between oral contraceptive preparation (OCP) use and breast cancer (BC) risk is still unclear.

METHODS

Breast camcer risk associations were estimated from OCP data on 6030 BRCA1 and 3809 BRCA2 mutation carriers using age-dependent Cox regression, stratified by study and birth cohort. Prospective, left-truncated retrospective and full-cohort retrospective analyses were performed.

RESULTS

For BRCA1 mutation carriers, OCP use was not associated with BC risk in prospective analyses (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.75 to 1.56), but in the left-truncated and full-cohort retrospective analyses, risks were increased by 26% (95% CI = 6% to 51%) and 39% (95% CI = 23% to 58%), respectively. For BRCA2 mutation carriers, OCP use was associated with BC risk in prospective analyses (HR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.03 to 2.97), but retrospective analyses were inconsistent (left-truncated: HR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.85 to 1.33; full cohort: HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.28 to 1.81). There was evidence of increasing risk with duration of use, especially before the first full-term pregnancy (BRCA1: both retrospective analyses, P < .001 and P = .001, respectively; BRCA2: full retrospective analysis, P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

Prospective analyses did not show that past use of OCP is associated with an increased BC risk for BRCA1 mutation carriers in young middle-aged women (40-50 years). For BRCA2 mutation carriers, a causal association is also not likely at those ages. Findings between retrospective and prospective analyses were inconsistent and could be due to survival bias or a true association for younger women who were underrepresented in the prospective cohort. Given the uncertain safety of long-term OCP use for BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, indications other than contraception should be avoided and nonhormonal contraceptive methods should be discussed.

Causal Therapy of Breast Cancer Irrelevant of Age, Tumor Stage and ER-Status: Stimulation of Estrogen Signaling Coupled With Breast Conserving Surgery

Abstract: Background

Results of long-term studies justify that the rate of breast cancer recurrence and tumor-related mortality remains quite unpredictable, regardless of the use of any current therapeutic measures.

Objective

Since the application of standard therapies, such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and antiestrogen administration does not work as might be expected; our therapeutic practice requires thorough rethinking.

Method

Published long-term therapeutic results on breast cancer cases were analyzed in correlation with stage at diagnosis, ER-status of tumors and patients’ age. The effectiveness of current therapeutic measures was also compared by estimating the rate of tumor-free survival, breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer-specific mortality.

Results

Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer at an early stage cannot improve the rate of tumor-free survival. Poor differentiation of tumors, ER-negativity in particular, defines poor prognosis even after applying aggressive therapies. In patients treated with in situ breast cancer, the recurrence-rate of invasive tumor increased directly with ageing irrespective of tumor size or ER-status at diagnosis. Women who underwent lumpectomy without adjuvant radiation or chemotherapy exhibited significantly better overall and breast cancer specific survival rates than those receiving mastectomy, regardless of stage and ER-status of tumors. Antiestrogen treatment exhibited unforeseeable effectiveness even on targeted ER-positive tumors. Recent patents propose the detection of ESR1-gene amplification or restoration of ER-alpha expression for prediction of effective antiestrogen treatment, suggesting a crucial inhibitory role of estrogen-signaling against tumor-growth.

Conclusion

Estradiol-induced upregulation of estrogen signaling coupled with sparing of the estrogen-rich mammary fatpad are the most effective strategies against breast cancer.

Dysregulation of Aromatase in Breast, Endometrial, and Ovarian Cancers: An Overview of Therapeutic Strategies

Aromatase is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of estrogens, which play crucial roles on a spectrum of developmental and physiological processes. The biological actions of estrogens are classically mediated by binding to two estrogen receptors (ERs), ERα and ERβ. Encoded by the cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (CYP19A1) gene, aromatase is expressed in a wide variety of tissues, as well as benign and malignant tumors, and is regulated in a pathway- and tissue-specific manner. Overexpression of aromatase, leading to elevated systemic levels of estrogen, is unequivocally linked to the pathogenesis and growth of a number malignancies, including breast, endometrium, and ovarian cancers. Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are routinely used to treat estrogen-dependent breast cancers in postmenopausal women; however, their roles in endometrial and ovarian cancers remain obscure. While AI therapy is effective in hormone sensitive cancers, they diminish estrogen production throughout the body and, thus, generate undesirable side effects. Despite the effectiveness of AI therapy, resistance to endocrine therapy remains a major concern and is the leading cause of cancer death. Considerable advances, toward mitigating these issues, have evolved in conjunction with a number of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors for countering an assortment of diseases and cancers, including the aforesaid malignancies. HDACs are a family of enzymes that are frequently dysregulated in human tumors. This chapter will discuss the current understanding of aberrant regulation and expression of aromatase in breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, and potential therapeutic strategies for prevention and treatment of these life-threatening diseases.

Assisted reproductive techniques after fertility-sparing treatments in gynaecological cancers

BACKGROUND

The trend toward late childbearing has made fertility preservation a major issue for women who face gynecological cancer. New techniques in assisted reproductive medicine enable conception after primary treatment of these cancers. Here, we aimed to review the efficacy and safety of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) after fertility-preserving treatment of gynaecological cancers.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature review of both prospective and retrospective studies in the PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL and SciSearch databases. In the retrieved studies, we evaluated live births, clinical pregnancies, overall survival and disease-free survival.

RESULTS

We identified many prospective and retrospective studies on this topic, but no relevant randomized clinical trials. Fertility-sparing treatments with safe oncological outcomes are feasible in endometrial, cervical and ovarian cancer cases. After cancer treatment, ART seem safe and show variable obstetrical outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

After fertility-preserving treatment for gynaecological cancers, ART can enable pregnancy to be achieved with apparent oncological safety. The success of such procedures should directly impact clinical practice and management of those patients who require fertility-sparing treatment.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG), The Endogenous Inhibitor of Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand (RANKL), is Dysregulated in BRCA Mutation Carriers

Breast cancer development in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers is a net consequence of cell-autonomous and cell nonautonomous factors which may serve as excellent targets for cancer prevention. In light of our previous data we sought to investigate the consequences of the BRCA-mutation carrier state on RANKL/osteoprotegerin (OPG) signalling.

We analysed serum levels of RANKL, OPG, RANKL/OPG complex, oestradiol (E2), and progesterone (P) during menstrual cycle progression in 391 BRCA1/2-mutation carriers and 782 noncarriers. These studies were complemented by analyses of RANKL and OPG in the serum and mammary tissues of female cynomolgus macaques (n = 88) and serum RANKL and OPG in postmenopausal women (n = 150).

BRCA-mutation carriers had lower mean values of free serum OPG in particular in BRCA1-mutation carriers (p = 0.018) compared with controls. Among BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, lower OPG levels were associated with germline mutation locations known to confer an increased breast cancer risk (p = 0.003). P is associated with low OPG levels in serum and tissue, particularly in BRCA-mutation carriers (rho = − 0.216; p = 0.002). Serum OPG levels were inversely correlated (rho = − 0.545, p < 0.001) with mammary epithelial proliferation measured by Ki67 expression and increased (p = 0.01) in postmenopause.

The P–RANKL/OPG system is dysregulated in BRCA-mutation carriers. These and previously published data provide a strong rationale for further investigation of antiprogestogens or an anti-RANKL antibody such as denosumab for breast cancer prevention.

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Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is the endogenous inhibitor of Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand (RANKL)

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RANKL has been shown to be crucially important in progesterone-mediated breast carcinogenesis

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Serum OPG is regulated by progesterone and low in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers

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Low serum OPG is associated with increased proliferation in the mammary gland

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Antiprogestogens or anti-RANKL antibody (denosumab) may be new strategies for breast cancer prevention in BRCA1/2 carriers.

Preventing deadly cancers is a high priority of 21st century medicine. To find the most promising cancer causing targets which can be modulated using chemo-preventive drugs remains the biggest challenge. In this paper we show that OPG, which is the physiological antagonist of RANKL (a factor known to be crucially involved in breast carcinogenesis), is low in women who have inherited a gene mutation (i.e. in BRCA1 or 2) which puts them at extremely high risk of developing breast cancer. An antibody which mimics OPG might be a very attractive option in preventing breast cancer.

DNA stabilization by the upregulation of estrogen signaling in BRCA gene mutation carriers

Currently available scientific evidence erroneously suggests that mutagenic weakness or loss of the BRCA1/2 genes may liberate the proliferative effects of estrogen signaling, which provokes DNA damage and genomic instability. Conversely, BRCA mutation seems to be an imbalanced defect, crudely inhibiting the upregulation of estrogen receptor expression and liganded transcriptional activity, whereas estrogen receptor-repressor functions become predominant. In BRCA-proficient cases, estrogen signaling orchestrates the activity of cell proliferation and differentiation with high safety, while upregulating the expression and DNA-stabilizing impact of BRCA genes. In turn, BRCA proteins promote estrogen signaling by proper estrogen synthesis via CYP19 gene regulation and by induction of the appropriate expression and transcriptional activity of estrogen receptors. In this exquisitely organized regulatory system, the dysfunction of each player may jeopardize genome stability and lead to severe chronic diseases, such as cancer development. Female organs, such as breast, endometrium, and ovary, exhibiting regular cyclic proliferative activity are particularly vulnerable in case of disturbances in either estrogen signaling or BRCA-mediated DNA repair. BRCA mutation carrier women may apparently be healthy or exhibit clinical signs of deficient estrogen signaling in spite of hyperestrogenism. Even women who enjoy sufficient compensatory DNA-defending activities are at risk of tumor development because many endogenous and environmental factors may jeopardize the mechanisms of extreme compensatory processes. Natural estrogens have numerous benefits in tumor prevention and therapy even in BRCA mutation carriers. There are no toxic effects even in sky-high doses and all physiologic cellular functions are strongly upregulated, while malignant tumor cells are recognized and killed in a Janus-faced manner.

[Breast and ovarian cancer due to BRCA1&2 hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome and reproduction: literature review]

INTRODUCTION

Germline mutations BRCA1&2 are responsible in women for breast and ovarian cancers that commonly occur at a young age: as such, there are strong interactions between the oncological risks and the events of reproductive life, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and management of infertility.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A review of the international literature from the PubMed database was conducted, and recommendations of French health agencies were exposed. Published studies are case-control and cohort studies in the majority, with a low level of evidence.

RESULTS

Pregnancy and lactation have no effect on breast and ovaries or even decreases the risk. The sex ratio among patients carrying the mutation is in favor of girls. It is not observed more infertility in patients carrying a mutation despite a strong suspicion of premature ovarian failure, and infertility treatments do not increase breast and ovarian risk. There are ethical debates concerning the place of pre-natal diagnosis: both experts and concerned patients recommend a case-by-case analysis of the requests.

Estrogen biosynthesis and action in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is still the deadliest of all gynecologic malignancies in women worldwide. This is attributed to two main features of these tumors, namely, (i) a diagnosis at an advanced tumor stage, and, (ii) the rapid onset of resistance to standard chemotherapy after an initial successful therapy with platin- and taxol-derivatives. Therefore, novel targets for an early diagnosis and better treatment options for these tumors are urgently needed. Epidemiological data show that induction and biology of ovarian cancer is related to life-time estrogen exposure. Also experimental data reveal that ovarian cancer cells share a number of estrogen regulated pathways with other hormone-dependent cancers, e.g., breast and endometrial cancer. However, ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous disease and the subtypes are quite different with respect to mutations, origins, behaviors, markers, and prognosis and respond differently to standard chemotherapy. Therefore, a characterization of ovarian cancer subtypes may lead to better treatment options for the various subtypes and in particular for the most frequently observed high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. For this intention, further studies on estrogen-related pathways and estrogen formation in ovarian cancer cells are warranted. The review gives an overview on ovarian cancer subtypes and explains the role of estrogen in ovarian cancer. Furthermore, enzymes active to synthesize and metabolize estrogens are described and strategies to target these pathways are discussed.

Diverse pathomechanisms leading to the breakdown of cellular estrogen surveillance and breast cancer development: new therapeutic strategies

Recognition of the two main pathologic mechanisms equally leading to breast cancer development may provide explanations for the apparently controversial results obtained by sexual hormone measurements in breast cancer cases. Either insulin resistance or estrogen receptor (ER) defect is the initiator of pathologic processes and both of them may lead to breast cancer development. Primary insulin resistance induces hyperandrogenism and estrogen deficiency, but during these ongoing pathologic processes, ER defect also develops. Conversely, when estrogen resistance is the onset of hormonal and metabolic disturbances, initial counteraction is hyperestrogenism. Compensatory mechanisms improve the damaged reactivity of ERs; however, their failure leads to secondary insulin resistance. The final stage of both pathologic pathways is the breakdown of estrogen surveillance, leading to breast cancer development. Among premenopausal breast cancer cases, insulin resistance is the preponderant initiator of alterations with hyperandrogenism, which is reflected by the majority of studies suggesting a causal role of hyperandrogenism in breast cancer development. In the majority of postmenopausal cases, tumor development may also be initiated by insulin resistance, while hyperandrogenism is typically coupled with elevated estrogen levels within the low postmenopausal hormone range. This mild hyperestrogenism is the remnant of reactive estrogen synthesis against refractory ERs that were successfully counteracted at a younger age. When refractoriness of ERs is the initiator of pathologic processes, reactively increased estrogen levels may be found in both young and older breast cancer cases, while they may exhibit clinical symptoms of estrogen deficiency. Studies justifying a causal correlation between hyperestrogenism and tumor development compile such breast cancer cases. In conclusion, the quantitative evaluation of ER refractoriness in breast cancer cases has great importance, since the stronger the estrogen resistance, the higher the promising dose of estrogen therapy.

A pilot study of BRCA mutation carriers' knowledge about the clinical impact of prophylactic-oophorectomy and views on fertility consultation: a single-center pilot study

BRCA mutation carriers will experience early surgically induced menopause following prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (PBSO). This pilot study aimed to investigate their (1) knowledge about the clinical impact of PBSO; (2) views on fertility consultation (FC)/fertility preservation (FP) treatment; and (3) difficulties in conceiving compared to non-carriers. A cross-sectional, single institution web-survey was performed at a university-based IVF center. Women aged 18-50 years who were screened for BRCA gene mutations from 2005 to 2013 were recruited via mail. Forty-one BRCA-positive and 110 BRCA-negative women completed the survey (response rate: 50 %). The knowledge about the reproductive impact of PBSO was limited, with the majority of women in this highly educated sample only identifying the correct response 64 % of the time. Among BRCA mutation carriers, 24 (59 %) had positive views about FC/FP treatments. A larger proportion of women with no children at the time of BRCA testing, and those who were non-white tended to have positive views toward FP. Women with, versus without, BRCA mutations were more likely to have difficulty in conceiving (p = 0.08). This well-educated group had limited knowledge about the reproductive clinical impact of PBSO, or the benefit of a FP before PBSO. Most women with BRCA mutations were interested in FC/FP treatment if they had not completed childbearing at the time of screening. Targeted referrals for FC at the time of BRCA screening may help women improve knowledge and allow improved decision-making about reproductive options.

Building a successful fertility preservation program at a major cancer center

Over 150,000 reproductive age individuals face fertility-threatening cancer treatments each year. Improved detection and treatment of cancer in reproductive-age patients have greatly increased the long-term survival and made it possible for these individuals to consider their long-term quality-of-life after cancer including having biologic offspring. Various methods of fertility preservation (FP) are now available for both males and females. In order to maximize FP options available to patients facing imminent gonadotoxic therapies, it is crucial that women have quick access to FP care and that providers expedite FP strategies. The overarching goal of a clinical FP program is to help patients and their physicians consider the impact of treatment on future fertility and facilitate FP efforts in what is often a limited time period before cancer treatment begins.

Triple-negative breast cancer risk in women is defined by the defect of estrogen signaling: preventive and therapeutic implications

Epidemiologic studies strongly support that triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) may be distinct entities as compared with estrogen receptor (ER)+ tumors, suggesting that the etiologic factors, clinical characteristics, and therapeutic possibilities may vary by molecular subtypes. Many investigations propose that reproductive factors and exogenous hormone use differently or even quite inversely affect the risk of TNBCs and ER+ cancers. Controversies concerning the exact role of even the same risk factor in TNBC development justify that the biological mechanisms behind the initiation of both TNBCs and non-TNBCs are completely obscure. To arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the etiology of different breast cancer subtypes, we should also reconsider our traditional concepts and beliefs regarding cancer risk factors. Malignancies are multicausal, but the disturbance of proper estrogen signaling seems to be a crucial risk factor for the development of mammary cancers. The grade of defect in metabolic and hormonal equilibrium is directly associated with TNBC risk for women during their whole life. Inverse impact of menopausal status or parity on the development of ER+ and ER− breast cancers may not be possible; these controversial results derive from the misinterpretation of percentage-based statistical evaluations. Exogenous or parity-associated excessive estrogen supply is suppressive against breast cancer, though the lower the ER expression of tumors, the weaker the anticancer capacity. In women, the most important preventive strategy against breast cancers – included TNBCs – is the strict control and maintenance of hormonal equilibrium from early adolescence through the whole lifetime, particularly during the periods of great hormonal changes.