Genetic Risk of Second Primary Cancer in Breast Cancer Survivors: The Multiethnic Cohort Study

Fei Chen, Sungshim L. Park, Lynne R. Wilkens, Peggy Wan, Steven N. Hart, Chunling Hu, Siddhartha Yadav, Fergus J. Couch, David V. Conti, Adam J. de Smith, Christopher A. Haiman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Women who have had breast cancer in the past are at increased risk of developing a second primary cancer (SPC), including second primary breast cancer (SPBC) or a second primary non-breast cancer (SPNBC). In the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study, we conducted a prospective cohort analysis in 3,223 female breast cancer survivors from five racial/ethnic populations (White, African American, Japanese American, Latino, and Native Hawaiian) to assess the association of rare pathogenic variants (PV) in 37 known cancer predisposition genes with risk of SPC. A total of 719 (22.3%) women developed SPC, of which, 323 (10.0%) were SPBC. Germline PVs in BRCA1 (HR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.11–4.65) and ERCC2 (HR, 3.51; 95% CI, 1.29–9.54) were significantly enriched in women with SPC. In the subtype analysis for SPBC, a significant association of ERCC2 PVs (HR, 5.09; 95% CI, 1.58–16.4) and a suggestive association of BRCA2 PVs (HR, 2.24; 95% CI, 0.91–5.55) were observed. There was also a higher risk of SPNBC in carriers of BRCA1 PVs (HR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.21–7.36). These results provide evidence that germline PVs in BRCA1, BRCA2, and ERCC2 contribute to the development of SPC in breast cancer survivors. These findings also suggest that compromised DNA repair mechanisms could be a predisposition factor for SPC in patients with breast cancer, supporting the need for closer monitoring of SPC in women carrying PVs in these genes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3201-3208
Number of pages8
JournalCancer research
Volume82
Issue number18
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 15 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Genetic Risk of Second Primary Cancer in Breast Cancer Survivors: The Multiethnic Cohort Study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this