Risk Management
Other cancer risks
Overview
Other cancers have been linked to hereditary breast or ovarian cancer. Some cancers are associated with BRCA mutations; others are associated with other cancer syndromes. As more research is done on hereditary cancer syndromes, the research community learns more about risks for less common cancers than breast or ovarian cancer. A cancer genetics expert will know the most up-to-date risk information and advise you of your options for risk management.
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer refers to cancer affecting the large intestines or the rectum. In the general population the average lifetime risk for colorectal cancer is about 6%. Recent studies showed no elevation of colorectal cancer risk in people with BRCA mutations. Hereditary Nonpolyposis-Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC), a hereditary syndrome linked to uterine and ovarian cancer, elevates the risk for colorectal cancer. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a hereditary syndrome linked with young onset colorectal cancer. Other gene mutations have been found to be associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer. If colorectal cancer runs in your family, it is important to consult with a genetics specialist to determine risk and management options.
Fallopian tube cancer
The fallopian tubes are the passages that carry a woman's eggs from her ovaries to her uterus. In the general population, cancer of the fallopian tubes is very rare. Carriers of BRCA mutations or one of the genes that cause HNPCC have a higher risk for fallopian tube cancer than women in the general population. One study estimated the lifetime risk to be less than 1% in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers however a recent study on 122 BRCA positive women undergoing prophylactic oophorectomy found that about 6% of these women had cancer at the time of prophylactic surgery. Of these women, all had cancers originating in their fallopian tube. This study suggests that much of the ovarian cancer in BRCA carriers may begin in the fallopian tubes.
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Melanoma
Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer. In the general population the average lifetime risk for melanoma is about 2%. Studies have shown a slightly increased risk for melanoma in carriers of BRCA2 mutations. Other gene mutations have been associated with an increased risk for melanoma. If melanoma runs in your family, it is important to consult with a genetics specialist to determine risk and management options.
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is very rare in the general population. The average person has less than a 1% lifetime risk for this disease. Although studies on carriers of both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations have indicated an elevated lifetime risk for pancreatic cancer, the risk is small. Other hereditary syndromes have been linked with an increased risk for pancreatic cancer including Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and HNPCC. If pancreatic cancer runs in your family, it is important to consult with a genetics specialist to determine risk and management options.
Primary peritoneal cancer
The “peritoneum” is a layer of cells lining the inside of the abdomen. These cells are similar to the cells lining the ovaries. Cancer of this lining is called “primary peritoneal cancer” (PPC). Primary peritoneal cancer is treated in a similar manner as stage III ovarian cancer. Carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations or one of the genes that cause HNPCC are at higher risk for primary peritoneal cancer than women in the general population. The risk for primary peritoneal cancer is still very low in mutation carriers: one study estimated the lifetime risk in BRCA carriers to be 1.3%, while another study found the risk to be 3.5%.
Prostate cancer
In the general population, prostate cancer is common. Men have about a 14% risk for developing the disease by age 80. Both BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been linked with an increased risk for prostate cancer, particularly younger onset cancer diagnosed before age 65. The risk for prostate cancer is higher in BRCA2 mutation carriers than BRCA1 mutation carriers. Other genes are believed to increase the risk for hereditary prostate cancer. If prostate cancer runs in your family, it is important to consult with a genetics specialist to determine risk and management options.
Stomach cancer
In certain families, carriers of a BRCA2 mutation may have a slightly increased lifetime risk for stomach cancers, especially in families with a history of colon cancer. Other gene mutations have been found to be associated with an increased risk for stomach cancer. If stomach cancer runs in your family, it is important to consult with a genetics specialist to determine risk and management options.
Uterine cancer
Uterine cancer (also called “endometrial cancer”) risk is increased in women who carry one of the genes that causes HNPCC, a hereditary syndrome which also causes an increased risk for colon cancer. One study showed the lifetime risk for uterine cancer in this group can be as high as 60%. Women with a BRCA mutation have a lower risk for uterine cancer than women with an HNPCC mutation and may have similar risk as women in the general population. One study reported a small increased risk for uterine cancer among BRCA1 carriers, while another study reported no increased risk for uterine cancer in BRCA1 carriers. A small study on women with a very rare type of uterine cancer called “uterine serous papillary carcinoma” found an association with carriers of a BRCA1 mutation.
Other websites
Cancer
Research and Prevention Foundation page on hereditary colon cancer.
Provides information on the most common forms of hereditary colon cancer.
Colon Cancer
Alliance page on genetics of colon cancer.
The Alliance also provides information on research and support services.
Hereditary Colon Cancer Association
National Prostate Cancer Coalition
Information on screening and treatment.
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCan)
People Living With Cancer
This website, developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), has an overview of the different types of hereditary cancer.
Us Too
Support and information for
men affected by prostate cancer.
Further reading - articles (advanced reading)
Primary
Fallopian Tube Malignancies in BRCA-Positive Women Undergoing Surgery for
Ovarian Cancer Risk Reduction
Michael J. Callahan, Christopher P. Crum,
Fabiola Medeiros, David W. Kindelberger, Julia A. Elvin, Judy E. Garber,
Colleen M. Feltmate, Ross S. Berkowitz, Michael G. Muto. Journal
of Clinical Oncology. Volume 25, No. 25: p. 3985-3990, September 2007.
Intra-abdominal
carcinomatosis after prophylactic oophorectomy in women of hereditary breast
ovarian cancer syndrome kindreds associated with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations
Murray
Joseph Casey, Carrie Synder, Chhanda Bewtra, Steven A. Narod, Patrice Watson
and Henry T. Lynch. Gynecologic Oncology. Volume 97, Issue 2 , p. 457-467,
May 2005.
BRCA
Mutations and risk of prostate cancer in Ashkenazi Jews
Tomas Kirchhoff,
Noah D. Kauff, Nandita Mitra, Kedoudja Nafa, Helen Huang, Crystal Palmer,
Tony Gulati, Eve Wadsworth, Sheri Donat, Mark E. Robson, Nathan A. Ellis
and Kenneth Offit. Clinical Cancer Research. Volume 10, p. 2918-2921, May
1, 2004.
BRCA
germline mutations in Jewish women with uterine serous papillary carcinoma
Ofer
Lavie, Gila Hornreich, Alon Ben-Arie, Gad Rennert, Yoram Cohen, Rehuven
Keidar, Shlomi Sagi, Efrat Levy Lahad, Ron Auslander and Uzi Beller. Gynecologic
Oncology, Volume 92, Number 2: p. 521-524, February 2004.
BRCA1
and BRCA2 founder mutations and the risk of colorectal cancer
Bethany
L. Niell, Gad Rennert, Joseph D. Bonner, Ronit Almog, Lynn P. Tomsho, and
Stephen B. Gruber. Journal of the National Cancer
Institute. Volume 96:
p, 15-21, January 2004.
Frequency
of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in unselected Ashkenazi Jewish patients with
colorectal cancer
Tomas Kirchhoff, Jaya M. Satagopan, Noah D. Kauff,
Helen Huang, Prema Kolachana, Crystal Palmer, Hannah Rapaport, Khedoudja
Nafa, Nathan A. Ellis, Kenneth Offit. Journal
of the National Cancer Institute.
Volume 96: p, 68-70, January 2004.
Fallopian tube
and primary peritoneal carcinomas associated with BRCA mutations
Douglas
A. Levine, Peter A. Argenta, Cindy J. Yee, David S. Marshall, Narciso Olvera,
Faina Bogomolniy, Jamal A. Rahaman, Mark E. Robson, Kenneth Offit, Richard
R. Barakat, Robert A. Soslow, Jeff Boyd. Journal
of Clinical Oncology.
Volume 21, Issue 22: p. 4222-4227, November 2003.
BRCA1
and BRCA2 germline mutations in lymphoma patients
Yossepowitch O, Olvera
N, Satagopan JM, Huang H, Jhanwar S, Rapaport B, Boyd J, Offit K. Leukemia & Lymphoma.
Volume 44, Number 1: p. 127-31 January 2003. (Pubmed abstract)
Two
percent of men with early-onset prostate cancer harbor germline mutations
in the BRCA2 gene
Stephen M. Edwards, Zsofia Kote-Jarai, Julia Meitz,
Rifat Hamoudi, Questa Hope, Peter Osin, Rachel Jackson, Christine Southgate,
Rashmi Singh, Alison Falconer, David P. Dearnaley, Audrey Ardern-Jones,
Annette Murkin, Anna Dowe, Jo Kelly, Sue Williams, Richard Oram, Margaret
Stevens, Dawn M. Teare, Bruce A. J. Ponder, Simon A., Gayther, Doug F.
Easton, and Rosalind A. Eeles. American Journal
of Human Genetics. Volume
72: p. 1-12, January 2003.
BRCA2
gene mutations in families with aggregations of breast and stomach cancers
A
Jakubowska, K Nej, T Huzarski, R J Scott and J Lubiski. British
Journal of Cancer. Volume 87: p. 888-891 October 2002.
Cancer
risk estimates for BRCA1 mutation carriers identified in a risk evaluation
program
Marcia S. Brose, Timothy R. Rebbeck, Kathleen A. Calzone, Jill
E. Stopfer, Katherine L. Nathanson, Barbara L. Weber. Journal
of the National Cancer Institute. Volume 94, Number 18: p.1365-1372, September 18, 2002.
Cancer
incidence in BRCA1 mutation carriers
Deborah Thompson, Douglas F. Easton,
the Breast Cancer Linkage Consortium. Journal
of the National Cancer Institute.
Volume 94, Number. 18: p. 1358-1365, September 18, 2002.
Clinical characteristics
of individuals with germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2: Analysis of
10,000 individuals
Thomas S. Frank, Amie M. Deffenbaugh, Julia E. Reid,
Mark Hulick, Brian E. Ward, Beth Lingenfelter, Kathi L. Gumpper, Thomas
Scholl, Sean V. Tavtigian, Dmitry R. Pruss, Gregory C. Critchfield. Journal
of Clinical Oncology. Volume 20, Issue 6: p. 1480-1490, March 2002.
Risk of endometrial carcinoma
associated with BRCA mutation
Douglas A. Levine M.D., Oscar Lin M.D.,
Richard R. Barakat M.D., Mark E. Robson M.D., Deborah McDermott M.S., Lesley
Cohen M.S., Jaya Satagopan Ph.D., Kenneth Offit M.D. and Jeff Boyd Ph.D. Gynecologic
Oncology. Volume 80, Number 3: p. 395-398, March 2001.
A genetic epidemiological
study of carcinoma of the fallopian tube
Samina Aziz, Graciela Kuperstein,
Barry Rosen, David Cole, Raluca Nedelcu, John McLaughlin and Steven A.
Narod. Gynecologic Oncology. Volume 80, Number 341: p. 341-345, March 2001.
Variation
in cancer risks, by mutation position, in BRCA2 mutation carriers
Deborah
Thompson and Douglas Easton, on behalf of the Breast Cancer Linkage Consortium.
American Journal of Human Genetics. Volume 68: p. 410-419, January 2001.
Cancer
risks in BRCA2 mutation carriers
The Breast Cancer Linkage Consortium.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Volume 91, Number 15: p 1310-1316,
August 4, 1999.