The sex hormone system in carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations

The sex hormone system in carriers of BRCA 1/2 mutations: a case-control study. The lancet oncology, Nov 2013, Vol. 13(12), 1226-32.

Widschwendter, M., et al.

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(13)70448-0/fulltext

Penetrance for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or both in carriers of BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations is disproportionately high. Sex hormone dysregulation and altered end-organ hormone sensitivity might explain this organ-specific penetrance. We sought to identify differences in hormone regulation between carriers of BRCA1/2 and women who are negative for BRCA1/2 mutations.

Psychological impact of recall on women with BRCA mutations undergoing MRI surveillance

Psychological impact of recall on women with BRCA mutations undergoing MRI surveillance. The Breast, Oct 2011, Vol. 20(5), p.424-430

Spiegel, TN, et al.

http://www.thebreastonline.com/article/PIIS0960977611000944/abstract?rss=yes

The addition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to mammography for surveillance of women with BRCA mutations significantly increases sensitivity but lowers specificity. This study aimed to examine whether MRI surveillance, and particularly recall, is associated with increased anxiety, depression, or breast cancer worry/distress. While breast MRI surveillance did not have a detrimental psychological impact on women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, recalling these very high-risk women for further imaging after a false positive MRI scan temporarily increased their global anxiety.