Germline Variation and Breast Cancer Incidence: A Gene-Based Association Study and Whole-Genome Prediction of Early-Onset Breast Cancer.

Although germline genetics influences breast cancer incidence, published research only explains approximately half of the expected association. Moreover, the accuracy of prediction models remains low. For women who develop breast cancer early, the genetic architecture is less established.

Elevated levels of proliferating and recently migrated tumor-associated macrophages confer increased aggressiveness and worse outcomes in breast cancer.

Purpose: Macrophages play a major role in inflammatory processes and have been associated with poor prognosis in a variety of cancers, including breast cancer. Previously, we investigated the relationship of a subset of tumor-associated macrophages (PCNA(+) TAMs) with clinicopathologic characteristics of breast cancer. We reported that high PCNA(+) TAM counts were associated with hormone receptor (HR)-negative, high-grade tumors and early recurrence.

Common genetic variants and modification of penetrance of BRCA2-associated breast cancer.

The considerable uncertainty regarding cancer risks associated with inherited mutations of BRCA2 is due to unknown factors. To investigate whether common genetic variants modify penetrance for BRCA2 mutation carriers, we undertook a two-staged genome-wide association study in BRCA2 mutation carriers. In stage 1 using the Affymetrix 6.