High constant incidence in twins and other relatives of women with breast cancer

Authors
Citation
J. Peto et Tm. Mack, High constant incidence in twins and other relatives of women with breast cancer, NAT GENET, 26(4), 2000, pp. 411-414
Citations number
25
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Molecular Biology & Genetics
Journal title
NATURE GENETICS
ISSN journal
1061-4036 → ACNP
Volume
26
Issue
4
Year of publication
2000
Pages
411 - 414
Database
ISI
SICI code
1061-4036(200012)26:4<411:HCIITA>2.0.ZU;2-X
Abstract
The incidence of breast cancer rises steeply between ages 25 and 50, and mo re slowly thereafter. In contrast, the incidence in the unaffected (contral ateral) breast of women who have had breast cancer remains constant at abou t 0.7% per year for at least the next 20 years after diagnosis, irrespectiv e of age at first diagnosis. The incidence in relatives of the patients see ms to show a similar pattern. The incidence in a prospective study of monoz ygotic twins of patients was approximately constant at 1.3% per year (77 ca ses), again about 0.7% per breast. At ages older than a patient's age at di agnosis, her mother and sisters have an incidence of 0.3-0.4% per year. Abo ve the index patient's age at diagnosis, the rate in relatives shows no tem poral trend and is independent of the patient's age at diagnosis. A statist ically simple explanation is that incidence in susceptible women increases to a high constant level by a predetermined age that varies between familie s, but this seems inconsistent with conventional models of carcinogenesis a nd susceptibility. The very high incidence in monozygotic twins of patients indicates that a high proportion, and perhaps the majority, of breast canc ers arise in a susceptible minority of women.