Genetic Abnormalities in Breast Cancer Tumors and Relationships to Environmentaland Genetic Risk Factors Using Twins

摘要

Little is known about factors that produce genetic abnormalities in breasttumors; germline mutations explain only a few cases. Specifically we will address the following issues in this study: (1) Are genetically similar tumors more likely to occur among identical twins than among fraternal twins. (2) Do environmental factors predispose to concordance or discordance of genetic abnormalities. (3) Do fraternal twins, concordant for environmental exposures, tend to be discordant for genetic abnormalities, suggesting that other predisposing genetic factors that can be identified. (4) Among identical twins discordant for disease, are specific environmental factors more related to tumors with a genetic abnormality than those without.