The Contribution of Rare Variants in Familial Clustering of Prostate and Breast Cancer in African Americans
Abstract
Background and Objective: There are very few factors known that increase a man s risk of developing prostate cancer. Older age, African American race, and a positive family history of prostate cancer in close relatives (fathers, brothers, sons) are important risk factors. Family history of prostate cancer, particularly when relatives are diagnosed at a younger age, suggests that genes play an important role. There are many genes that can cause different kinds of cancer. In many African American families, both prostate cancer and breast cancer is diagnosed among close relatives, but the role of the two most important breast cancer susceptibility genes (namely BRCA1 and BRCA2) is not well-understood in prostate cancer, especially in African American men. Study Methods: We will work to enroll and collect DNA on African American families with both prostate and breast cancer diagnosed in close relatives (parents and children or brothers and sisters). We will then study the DNA of the members of the family diagnosed with prostate and breast cancer to determine how often we find defects in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Applicability of Research: The importance of this research lies in the understanding the role of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in prostate and breast cancer in African Americans. If we can verify that these genes cause clustering of these two cancers within families, eventually individuals with a family history of prostate and breast cancer could be screened to determine whether or not they have a genetic mutation. This information would be valuable for both physician and patient to determine someone s future risk for cancer and dictate how closely they should monitored for development of prostate or breast cancer. Contribution: The proposed study has the potential to make an important contribution to research by understanding the role of defects in known breast cancer genes with prostate cancer in African American men. Information gathered from this study may be used to determine which individuals should undergo genetic screening based upon their family history of prostate and breast cancer. Understanding the function of these genes will help us to understand the underlying biology of both cancers and importantly why these cancers occur in some families and not others.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 07, 2017
- Source ID
- W81XWH1710114
Entities
People
- Jennifer L Beebe-Dimmer
Organizations
- United States Army
- Wayne State University