Women with faulty BRCA genes more likely to survive ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer patients who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations are significantly more likely to survive the disease than women without these faulty genes.
The study, a large international collaboration that included ICR researchers, showed 44 per cent of women with BRCA1 faults and 52 per cent of women with BRCA2 faults were alive five years after they were diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. This compares with 36 per cent of women without a fault in one of these genes who were alive five years after their diagnosis. The results could ultimately change the way ovarian cancer is treated.
Co-author Professor Montserrat Garcia-Closas, from the ICR, said: “Our study provides evidence that women with high grade serious ovarian cancer could benefit from routine screening for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, to assist doctors in giving them an accurate prognosis and help make sure they receive the best possible treatment.”
“My colleagues at the ICR were instrumental in the discovery of BRCA2 and the development of the first drugs that target faulty BRCA2. This study provides further evidence that ovarian cancers are heterogeneous, and highlights the importance of identifying inherited faults to design the best possible treatment strategies.”
