Publications by authors named "Myrta I Olivera"

Article Synopsis
  • Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Puerto Rico, with rising incidence and mortality rates, particularly compared to US Hispanics and second only to African Americans.
  • A study assessed the genetic ancestry of 406 Puerto Rican CRC cases using a panel of 105 ancestry informative markers, revealing a population composition of 61% European, 21% African, and 18% Amerindian.
  • Although there was no overall association between genetic ancestry and CRC risk, African ancestry was linked to a higher risk of rectal tumors, indicating a need for further research on its role in CRC development.
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Hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes comprise approximately 10% of diagnosed cancers; however, familial forms are believed to account for up to 30% of some cancers. In Hispanics, the most commonly diagnosed hereditary cancers include colorectal cancer syndromes such as, Lynch Syndrome, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, and hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes. Although the incidence of hereditary cancers is low, patients diagnosed with hereditary cancer syndromes are at high-risk for developing secondary cancers.

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The three major hereditary cancer syndromes in Latinos (Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and Lynch Syndrome) have been shown to exhibit geographic disparities by country of origin suggesting admixture-based disparities. A solid infrastructure of clinical genetics geared towards diagnosis and prevention could aid in reducing the mortality of these cancer syndromes in Latinos. Currently, clinical cancer genetic services in Latin America are scarce.

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