Publisher Correction: Clinical outcome of breast cancer in carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations according to molecular subtypes

Prevalence and spectrum of germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 in a cohort of ovarian cancer patients from the Salento peninsula (Southern Italy): a matter of preventive health

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this exploratory, descriptive study was to characterize the deleterious BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants evaluated by genetic testing in a group of Ovarian cancer patients living in the Salento peninsula (Southern Italy).

METHODS

From June 2014 to July 2023, patients with histologically confirmed high-grade serous carcinoma, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who were referred to Lecce Familial Cancer Clinic were considered. BRCA-mutation genetic testing was performed on these patients. Socio-demographic data and cancer epidemiology were assessed, and Next Generation Sequencing and Sanger DNA sequencing were performed.

RESULTS

The median age at the diagnosis of 332 ovarian cancer patients collected was 57 years. The pedigree analyses showed that 28.6% had familial cases and 39.7% had sporadic cases. Of the 319 patients submitted to genetic testing, 29.8% were carriers of BRCA1/2 mutation, 75.8% at BRCA1 and 24.2% at BRCA2 gene. Of the 21 BRCA1 mutations, the variant c.5266dupC was the most frequent alteration (28.4%). With respect to BRCA2, 13 mutations were found and the variant c.9676delT was the most frequently recorded (6.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals that the prevalence of germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes was higher than reported by other studies. A broader understanding of the prevalence and role of BRCA mutations in development, response to treatment, and prognosis represents an exciting and developing area of ovarian cancer treatment and prevention.

Synchronous Bilateral Breast Cancer With Discordant Receptor Status: Treating One Patient but Two Diseases

The expression of hormone receptors (estrogen and progesterone) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) has been used for both therapeutic and prognostic purposes in the management of breast cancer. The presence of a discordant receptor status complicates the approach to treatment in patients with synchronous bilateral breast cancer. We describe the case of a 45-year-old female with synchronous bilateral breast cancer with a triple-negative tumor and a contralateral HER2-positive tumor and discussed the impact of this on the approach to therapeutic management.

Clinical effectiveness of olaparib monotherapy in germline BRCA-mutated, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer in a real-world setting: phase IIIb LUCY interim analysis

BACKGROUND

In the phase III OlympiAD trial, olaparib significantly increased progression-free survival (PFS) compared with chemotherapy of physician's choice in patients with germline BRCA-mutated (gBRCAm), human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC). The phase IIIb LUCY trial assessed the clinical effectiveness of olaparib in similar patients, in a setting reflecting clinical practice.

METHODS

This open-label, single-arm trial of olaparib (300 mg, twice daily) enrolled patients with BRCAm, HER2-negative mBC who had received taxane and/or anthracycline in the (neo)adjuvant/metastatic setting and not more than two lines of prior chemotherapy for mBC. Patients with hormone receptor-positive mBC had progressed on at least one line of endocrine therapy in an adjuvant/metastatic setting and were unsuitable for further endocrine treatment. This interim analysis was planned after 160 PFS events.

RESULTS

Of 563 patients screened, 252 patients with gBRCAm were enrolled and received at least one dose of olaparib. The median investigator-assessed PFS was 8.11 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.93-8.67; 166/252 events [65.9% maturity]). The investigator-assessed clinical response rate was 48.6%, and median time to first subsequent treatment or death was 9.66 months (95% CI, 8.67-11.14). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs; >20% patients) were nausea, anaemia, asthenia, vomiting and fatigue. Eleven patients (4.4%) discontinued treatment because of a TEAE. Grade 3 or higher TEAEs occurred in 64 patients (25.4%), including anaemia (33 patients; 13.1%).

CONCLUSION

Olaparib was clinically effective in patients with gBRCAm, HER2-negative mBC with safety outcomes consistent with previous findings. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03286842.