Allele Imbalance or Loss of Heterozygosity in Normal-Appearing Breast Epithelium as a Novel Marker to Predict Future Breast Cancer

摘要

The goal of this study is to determine whether the occurrence of AI/LOH in the DNA of histologically normal epithelium from non-cancerous breasts predicts future breast cancer development. If so, then AI/LOH would be an excellent candidate molecular marker of increased sporadic breast cancer risk: its incidence increases during cancer development, it can be quantified and standardized, it is likely to reflect dysregulation of genetic mechanisms that could be potential targets for pharmacological modulation. In the past year, we have made substantial progress on the first two of our four aims. From the Nurses Health Study Benign Breast Disease nested case-control sub study, cases and matched controls have been identified and their tissue blocks sent to the PI's laboratory for study; and the techniques to quantitate AI/LOH in an automated fashion are being finalized. In the next year, we anticipate continued progress on the tasks as outlined in the statement of work.