Cigarette Smoking Increases the Risk of Breast Cancer in Some Women
Smoking increases the risk of breast cancer for women who carry mutations in the ataxia-telangiectasia gene. These carriers had the greatest excess cancer risk from age 65 through 80.
Ardsley, NY, November 08, 2008 --(PR.com)-- The Disease Insight Research Foundation (DIRF) announced results from a new study of women carrying a single mutation in the ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) gene. The study, by Michael Swift and Jennifer Lukin in the November 2008 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention, reports that cigarette smoking substantially increased the risk of breast cancer for women who carry an A-T mutation. By age 80, 80% of women who carried an A-T mutation and smoked were diagnosed with breast cancer, while only 21% of those who did not smoke were diagnosed by age 79.
Repeated studies have shown previously that a mutated A-T gene puts women at an increased risk for breast cancer. In the general population, studies have found little or no elevation in breast cancer risk for smokers. In addition, a substantially increased risk has not been found specifically for carriers of mutations in other recognized breast cancer genes, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. The interaction between smoking and A-T mutations may be unique and due to the specific metabolic changes associated with such mutations.
This study also confirmed again that A-T mutations predispose women to breast cancer. By age 79, 43% of women, in A-T families, who carry the mutation and only 17% of women who did not carry it were diagnosed with breast cancer. This lifetime cumulative incidence of breast cancer can be compared to the 43-74% estimated in different studies for BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. However, the overall impact of A-T mutations could be much greater because they are estimated to occur at a frequency between 1 and 5% in the general population, compared with 0.1%-0.2% for BRCA1/2 mutations. Additionally, carriers at older ages were particularly at risk compared with non-carriers. Carriers had new incident breast cancers at an annual rate of 1.4% from ages 65 through 79; for non-carriers the rate was 0.2%. BRCA1/2 mutations typically affect carriers at younger ages.
Because women particularly fear breast cancer, these new findings may motivate some, who smoke despite its well-established, well-known harmful effects on health and survival, to quit, which could prevent thousands of breast cancers annually.
Summary - Smoking increases the risk of breast cancer for women who carry mutations in the ataxia-telangiectasia gene. These carriers had the greatest excess cancer risk from age 65 through 80.
About the A-T gene
More than a dozen studies published since 1987 have shown that carrying a single mutation in the ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) gene predisposes a woman to breast cancer. While individuals carrying two A-T mutations have a readily identifiable progressive neurological disorder, conventional clinical or laboratory tests cannot detect carriers of a single mutation in the general population. The current study was based on carriers and non-carriers in families of A-T patients, followed in a long-term prospective study.
About DIRF
The Disease Insight Research Foundation (www.diseaseinsight.org) is a non-profit organization based in Ardsley, NY, carrying out innovative research to identify and understand the genes whose mutations predispose to important common diseases.
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For additional information please contact Dr. Swift at 914 472 2366 or mswiftmd@gmail.com.
Repeated studies have shown previously that a mutated A-T gene puts women at an increased risk for breast cancer. In the general population, studies have found little or no elevation in breast cancer risk for smokers. In addition, a substantially increased risk has not been found specifically for carriers of mutations in other recognized breast cancer genes, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. The interaction between smoking and A-T mutations may be unique and due to the specific metabolic changes associated with such mutations.
This study also confirmed again that A-T mutations predispose women to breast cancer. By age 79, 43% of women, in A-T families, who carry the mutation and only 17% of women who did not carry it were diagnosed with breast cancer. This lifetime cumulative incidence of breast cancer can be compared to the 43-74% estimated in different studies for BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. However, the overall impact of A-T mutations could be much greater because they are estimated to occur at a frequency between 1 and 5% in the general population, compared with 0.1%-0.2% for BRCA1/2 mutations. Additionally, carriers at older ages were particularly at risk compared with non-carriers. Carriers had new incident breast cancers at an annual rate of 1.4% from ages 65 through 79; for non-carriers the rate was 0.2%. BRCA1/2 mutations typically affect carriers at younger ages.
Because women particularly fear breast cancer, these new findings may motivate some, who smoke despite its well-established, well-known harmful effects on health and survival, to quit, which could prevent thousands of breast cancers annually.
Summary - Smoking increases the risk of breast cancer for women who carry mutations in the ataxia-telangiectasia gene. These carriers had the greatest excess cancer risk from age 65 through 80.
About the A-T gene
More than a dozen studies published since 1987 have shown that carrying a single mutation in the ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) gene predisposes a woman to breast cancer. While individuals carrying two A-T mutations have a readily identifiable progressive neurological disorder, conventional clinical or laboratory tests cannot detect carriers of a single mutation in the general population. The current study was based on carriers and non-carriers in families of A-T patients, followed in a long-term prospective study.
About DIRF
The Disease Insight Research Foundation (www.diseaseinsight.org) is a non-profit organization based in Ardsley, NY, carrying out innovative research to identify and understand the genes whose mutations predispose to important common diseases.
###
For additional information please contact Dr. Swift at 914 472 2366 or mswiftmd@gmail.com.
Contact
Disease Insight Research Foundation
Jennifer Lukin
914-693-1123
diseaseinsight.org
Michael Swift, MD
mswiftmd@gmail.com
Jennifer Lukin
914-693-1123
diseaseinsight.org
Michael Swift, MD
mswiftmd@gmail.com
Contact
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