This highly informative and clearly written book presents the basic science and the latest data on hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) to provide an up-to-date and holistic overview of the disease. It starts off by presenting the molecular mechanisms, genetic testing and counseling, and variants of unknown significance (VUS) to help readers understand the contemporary interpretation of the disease. Further chapters focus on the surveillance, diagnosis and treatment, including chemoprevention, risk reduction and drug development based on molecular mechanisms. It also includes a chapter on the latest findings from the HBOC database, ethical issues and the parp inhibitors, and discusses innovative thinking to manage and understand the disease. Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer - Molecular Mechanism and Clinical Practice offers breast surgeons, medical oncologists, gynecological oncologists and genetic counselors a comprehensive overview of the disease. Providing insights into recent scientific findings and further avenues for investigation, it is also a thought-provoking and informative read for researchers and scholars.

Intended for medical oncologists, surgeons, obstetricians, gynecologists, geneticists, genetic counselors, and primary care physicians, this text presents the epidemiological, biological, and clinical issues associated with hereditary breast cancer. It offers clear guidance on the application and utilization of cancer risk assessment models, geneti

This volume will explore the latest findings in research into the genetics of breast and reproductive cancers, covering the epidemiological aspects of these cancers, their etiology, the effect of environment on genes and cancer etiology, and how research in this area can lead to development of preventative measures and treatments.

A testament to how far the field of genetic counseling for breast cancer susceptibility has advanced since the mid-1990s, following the cloning of two major breast (and ovarian) cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2.

The inheritance of a germ-line mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, although associated with a markedly increased incidence of breast cancer, is not solely responsible for the development of breast cancer in predisposed women and multiple other acquired steps appear to be required for the development of breast tumors in predisposed women. It is possible that women with predisposing mutations are at increased risk of cancer because they acquire secondary genetic events at a faster rate than non-predisposed women and that the accumulation of genetic events leads to tumor formation. Increasing evidence suggests that BRCA1 plays a role in DNA repair which adds support to this premise. This study has involved elucidating the pathways by which women with predisposing mutations acquire secondary genetic events. In this study, we have identified a number of women with BRCA1 mutations in which we have obtained tumors suitable for study. We have studied characteristic histologies of their tumor types. We have developed new assays for quantitating the predisposition to the accumulation of acquired genetic changes.

This dissertation, "Local Public Awareness of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Among Hong Kong Chinese Tertiary Students" by Man-sik, Desiree, Tse, 謝文適, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in Hong Kong women. When breast cancer occurs due to a hereditary cause, women tend to have breast cancer at a younger age. Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) related genes including BRCA1 was found in celebrity Angelina Jolie, who announced to the public that she had undertaken a risk-reducing/prophylactic bilateral mastectomy. Given the intense media attention, the public interest and awareness of HBOC was aroused, which could affect individuals' preventive health behaviours. Since an increasing number of cases of breast cancer were occurring at early age onset, HBOC and the genetic testing may be relevant to many with breast cancer history. However, the general public in Hong Kong may lack the genetic literacy. This study investigates whether participants' awareness, knowledge and/or perceived risk of the disease is associated with their health attitude and/or personal/family cancer history. Methods: The current study employed a cross sectional design to examine tertiary students' genetic knowledge of HBOC. A total of 495 participants from the higher education institutions in Hong Kong were recruited. Results: There was a significant difference between participants with family cancer history and those without in the general understanding on HBOC, indicating that those with relatives diagnosed with cancer in the past were more knowledgeable than those without. A significant difference was found for gender in both the self-perceived breast cancer inheritance risk and family breast cancer risk perception, indicating that females thought that they were more likely to inherit breast cancer in the future than did males, and participants with family cancer history were more likely to think that they will get hereditary breast cancer in their life than those without. A significant difference was also found in the perceived risk of family getting breast cancer between the above 2 groups, indicating that after controlling for the gender difference, participants with family diagnosed with cancer in the past was more likely to think that their family is at higher risk of developing breast cancer than those without family cancer history Discussion: This study showed that young adults did not know the topic well. Nevertheless, Medical Science students had better awareness and genetic knowledge on the topic. Females were shown to have a higher estimated probability of inheriting breast cancer than the male participants. After controlling for the effects of gender difference and knowledge of genetic testing, participants with one or more first or second-degree family members with cancer history were more aware of the genetic issue than those without. Their self-perceived breast cancer risk of inheritance and perceived family of breast cancer risk were also relatively higher than those without a family cancer history. This showed family cancer experiences may have profound influence on breast cancer risk perceptions and the level of anxiety this brings about. Thus, it is important to help the public to better distinguish the risks of the disease. Results of this study could be used to guide the development of public education materials and public awareness campaigns. Subjects: Ovaries - Cancer Women college students - Health and hygiene - China - Hong Kong Breast

The discovery of the two inherited susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 in the mid-1990s created the possibility of predictive genetic testing and led to the establishment of specific medical programmes for those at high risk of developing breast cancer in the UK, US and Europe. The book provides a coherent structure for examining the diversity of practices and discourses that surround developments linked to BRCA genetics, and to the evolving field of genetics more broadly. It will be of interest to students and scholars of anthropology, sociology, history of science, STS, public health and bioethics. Chapter 8 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/tandfbis/rt-files/docs/Open+Access+Chapters/9780415824064_oachapter8.pdf

In this book the editors and authors provide a comprehensive overview on basic research and clinical aspects of hereditary breast and gastric tumors. In particular, this updated editorial work aims to suggest guidelines for the clinical management of patients with hereditary diffuse gastric and lobular breast cancer. Special attention is given to E-cadherin (CDH1 gene) germline mutations, genetic screening approaches, the underlying molecular mechanisms and pathological and microscopic features. In addition, the book aims to define clinical criteria for genetic screening, and highlights current surgical treatment and clinical approaches for asymptomatic mutation carriers. Other inherited predispositions involving gastric and breast carcinoma are discussed as well. Divided into eight sections, the book starts by providing an epidemiological overview of gastric and breast cancers, followed by a section dealing with new descriptions of genetic pathways in hereditary cancer predispositions. The third section focuses on pathological features of the diseases, in an effort to bridge the gap between discovery and cancer therapy development. Subsequent sections of the book are dedicated to endoscopy and breast imaging, as well as risk-reducing surgeries to curb the risk of developing cancer. The sixth section focuses on the generation of ideas for the identification of targets and novel treatment strategies. Finally, in the seventh section the authors share the story of two patients and their experiences with the diagnosis and treatment of hereditary cancer. This multidisciplinary book brings together multiple disciplines in science and technology; specifically, medicine, surgery and biology. The majority of authors are members of the International Gastric Cancer Linkage Consortium (IGCLC) and of the European Cancer Prevention Organization (EJCPO), with relevant experience in this context. Offering in-depth insights into hereditary cancers, this book represents essential reading for students, researchers, and specialists who want to extend their knowledge on hereditary gastric and breast cancers.